AMERICA'S LADY BIRD

AMERICA’S LADY BIRD
By,
Kathleene S. Baker

I sat at the kitchen table with my mother-in-law, Iva Dee; we sipped coffee, read bits and pieces in the paper, and had our last chat prior to her visit ending. The morning paper had numerous photos and articles about Lady Bird Johnson’s life and death and our conversation followed suit. Was I shocked when Iva Dee quipped, “I guess you knew my mother attended grade school with Lyndon Johnson in Johnson City, Texas?”

No, I ‘d not heard that story! I chuckled when Iva mentioned her mother didn’t like Lyndon. Maybe he pulled her pigtails or dipped them in the inkwell on his desk?

It only seems right to recognize Lady Bird since I am writing from the state she loved; the state that was her home. She made a lasting impact on our country, most notably with her beautification programs and it is evident as you travel the highways of our nation. Even within the Dallas city limits it’s not unusual to find street medians alive with native wild flowers in bloom. Their vibrant colors dance on the breeze and soon chase away the dread of being entangled in traffic.

Claudia Alta Taylor was born in Karnack, Texas—just 10 miles from the Lousiana border. I often wondered how she acquired such an unusual nickname. Nursemaid, Alice Tittle, was tending Claudia one day when she exclaimed, “You’re just as purty as a lady bird.” It was as simple as that; the moniker was coined.

Lady Bird’s mother passed away when she was a small child. She and two brothers were raised by their aunt, Effie Pattillo. Though very young, Effie began educating her about the environment. Effie’s love of nature spilled over and developed into a life-long passion for Lady Bird.

It’s hard to imagine a former first lady of our country ever being shy, but shy she was, at least as a young person. She attended Marshall High School and was an excellent student. Nevertheless, during her senior year she purposely let her grades slip to avoid giving a valedictorian speech at graduation. The stunt worked and she graduated 3rd in her class at the age of 15.

On Lady Bird’s first date with Lyndon Johnson, Sept.1, 1934, he proposed to her. It is said she thought he was out of his mind! He hounded her with letters and phone calls but she continued to keep him at bay and offered no answer one way or the other. On Nov. 17, 1934 he gave her an ultimatum: “We either do it now, or we never will.”

They married at 8 p.m. that very evening, after a friend raced to a Sears store and returned with an assortment of rings. Lady Bird chose the only ring that fit, a $2.50 chip-diamond ring.

Many feared the wedding would not last, even the priest that married them. Lyndon was brash and western to the core, while Lady Bird was from East Texas where women were raised as true southern ladies. She was depicted as such on the front page of our paper; clad in a long, casual dress and floppy-brimmed hat; she stood center stage in a field of her beloved wildflowers—displaying a huge Texas smile.

The following poem was among the articles in the Dallas Morning News.

A BALLAD TO LADY BIRD
By,
Sidney Fly

Driving through the state I love
I stop at every bend to look at the flowers
dancing in the wind.
They dance for the love of a Lady
Her vision has come true.
She’s painted the roads of Texas for me
and you.
While you’re out on the road
Between the color and the sky
Take a look at the dreams of a Lady
passing by.

We bid farewell to Lady Bird—and offer many thanks for her steadfast dedication in the nurturing of our homeland.

©2007 Kathleene S. Baker
Lnstrlady@aol.com
YELLOW ROSE
www.txyellowrose.com

Story ID:	2497
Written by:	Kathleene S Baker (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	In Memory
Location:	Karnack Texas USA
Year:	1907
Person:	Lady Bird Johnson