Dusky Clark

Dusky Ann Clark, age 85 of Coldspring, Texas, passed away Thursday, January 25, 2018. She was born December 13, 1932 in Livingston, Texas to parents William Dawson Phillips, Jr., and Thelma Gaiser Phillips who preceded her in death along with her husbands, Tommy Lee McGraw and Dewey Lee Clark.

Dusky started first grade here in Coldspring at the age of 5. She shouldn’t have began school until she was 6 but wanted to go so badly, the teacher, Miss Sara Agnes said she could attend. She was sure Dusky would tire of it quickly but didn’t miss a day until she got chicken pox in the second grade. Dusky’s parents had to move from Coldspring in search of work. Her father worked for a bridge construction crew so they move quite often until he was able to secure a job in Pasadena around the time Dusky was in Jr. High. There Dusky was introduced to band.

Dusky graduated from Pasadena HS at age 16 but stayed an additional year and worked with the band director because her parents didn’t want her to go off to college so young. The following fall at the age of 17, she began her studies at Sam Houston State Teachers College, majoring in music education. Her college roommate introduced her to the episcopal church.

After graduation from Sam, she returned home to Pasadena to begin her career as a music teacher for Pasadena ISD and joined St Peters Episcopal Church.

She married Tommy Lee McGraw in 1952... they had three children together, Anne, Bill & Paula.

When Tommy died at the young age of 38, Dusky decided it would be best to raise their children in the country so she and the children moved to her family’s hometown of Coldspring. Here she began her career in social work, dedicating her life to helping others, working for Child Protective Services and raising her family with the help of her devoted parents. Dusky later studied at the University of Houston earning her Masters Degree in social work.

In 1978, Dusky’s secretary introduced her to the love of her life, Dewey Lee Clark. They married the following year... a short time later she quit working but continued helping the less fortunate through serving on an AIDS awareness committee, attending conferences to spread information on the disease in the 1990’s. She also took part in monthly healing services around the Houston area through the Episcopal Church.

Dusky assisted with the Spanish speaking congregation at St Peters learning Spanish from others. She was proud to be able to recite the Lord’s Prayer in Spanish and she always kept a Spanish bible & prayer book in her purse.

Growing up we learned first from her example; there was never a child left in danger, a hitchhiker passed or person in need ignored.

Dusky & Dewey were happily married for 35 years.

Dusky loved music. She learned to play all the instruments in the band but her instrument of choice was the clarinet. She played in the band in high school & college. After retiring, Dusky also played in the community band in Livingston for many years. She often talked about singing for different places when she was a child and once she sang on the radio! As an adult, she sang in the choir here at CUMC, played the organ and sang at St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Livingston and sang with the San Jac community choir. Dusky began singing barbershop harmony with the Sweet Adeline’s beginning locally with The Forest Trail Chorus, performed with her local quartet and later joining the Houston Horizon Chorus, singing and competing internationally.

Dusky had a great love for her family but most importantly, she loved her Lord & Savior.

She is survived by her daughters, Anne J. McGraw Brandt, and Paula S. McGraw Franklin and husband Marvin “Bo”; son, William K. “Bill” McGraw and wife Tonya; son-in-love: Ronald W. Brandt and wife Cyndi; grandchildren, Richard L. Brandt and wife Traci, Ryan E. Brandt, William Matthew Brandt and wife Kristina, William L. McGraw and wife Hayley, Michael Carey McGraw, Sara McGraw Holub and husband Bryan, Dawson Phillips Franklin and Kayla LeeAnn Franklin; 11 Great-Grandchildren; other survivors, beloved Sotero and Estella Figueroa and girls, Church Family at Coldspring UMC, cherished pup, Sasha Grace; and numerous other relatives and friends

Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Coldspring United Methodist Church, Coldspring, Texas. Services will follow starting at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Coldspring United Methodist Church, Coldspring, Texas. Interment will follow at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Coldspring, Texas.