Kay Lee Wrage Gunn, died on August 28, 2016 in Dallas, Texas, her home since 1948. Born in San Antonio, Texas in 1932 to Louis Alexander Wrage and Katie Belle (Lee) Wrage, Kay was the granddaughter of San Antonio pediatrician, Lovard Lycurgus Lee, Jr., M.D. and wife, Katherine Isabelle (Kimbrough) Lee and the granddaughter of Selma (Starcke) Wrage and Henry Wrage of New Braunfels, Seguin and Midland, Texas. Kay attended Alamo Heights Elementary and Junior High School during most of the World War II years, while her stepfather, Lt. Col. Charles Thomas Brown, M.D., USAMC was a POW of the Japanese in Manilla, Phillipines. During his absence, her mother taught school in Alamo Heights ISD. Kay also attended St. Mary’s Hall for a year before transferring to The Hockaday School in Dallas where she completed high school and continued junior college. Kay was a member of the Hockaday honors fraternity, was awarded the painting prize in her second year, graduating from Jr. College magna cum laude. From Hockaday, Kay moved to Austin and attended the University of Texas. Kay became a member of Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity shortly before leaving school to marry John Bridge Gunn Sr., who was attending Southwestern Medical School of Dallas. Three children were born to this union: John Bridge Gunn, Jr. of Dallas and Santa Fe; Lee (Missy) Gunn Falchi, of Dallas and New York, and Robert Niels Gunn of Dallas.
Kay was an ardent genealogist of her family history from 1970 onward. Kay’s work in this area was as follows: Co-compiler (with the Rev. LaVerne Thomas) of three volumes of The Scotts of Southwest Virginia; Co-compiled (with Lazelle Parsons Long) Robert and Godfrey Lee; Compiled John Gunter of Chesterfield County, Virginia & Guilford-Rockingham County, North Carolina & Some of his Descendants, and published articles in “The Rowan Register,” “Journal of the German-American Heritage Society” and others. Kay’s lineage memberships include: The Jamestowne Society, DAR, Colonial Dames, Ladies of the Thistle, First Families of Tennessee, and Descendants of Ancient Planters. Kay’s civic group memberships include: DMFA and The Arboretum.
As a fine arts major in college, Kay enjoyed her lifelong love of drawing and art history. She studied piano and ballet growing up and was also a music lover with an extensive collection of both classical and popular music. As a married woman, Kay studied ballet again under Mme Alexandra Danilova, then a Dallas resident, who became godmother to Kay’s son, John. She also returned on several occasions to study literature and advanced drawing at SMU. Her life was rich with many long held interests, including her love of history, which she shared with her mother, Katie.
Kay is survived by her three children and their families; her granddaughters, Ana Katherine (Kate) Falchi and Juliet Lee Falchi. She is predeceased by her Mother, Katie Belle Lee Brown, and her son-in-law, Carlos Falchi. There will be a memorial service at Sparkman Hillcrest Chapel on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. Burial will be on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at the Old Cemetary in San Marcos, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donation be made to the Texas Audubon Society ([email protected]) or to Baylor Health Care System Foundation, Dallas, Texas (give.baylorhealth.com) or to the charity of your choice.
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