Lloyd Yarbrough

Lloyd Yarbrough Lloyd Yarbrough, born November 11, 1946, in Harlingen, Texas, passed away on May 27, 2009, in Austin. A graduate of Bellaire High School in Houston, where he drew a comic strip for the school newspaper, Lloyd later attended art classes at the University of Houston and served in the Air Force during the Viet Nam era. After moving to Austin, Lloyd owned and operated Lloyd's of Austin, a one-person woodworking shop where he produced incredible objects of functional art. He used complex combinations of domestic and exotic woods, sometimes incorporating stained glass, tile, and other decorative accents. His artistry resulted in a wide array of unique items, including baby rattles, bowls, candlesticks, cabinets, jewelry boxes, bread boxes, mail boxes, fireplace mantels, desks, tables, and porch swings. He fashioned every object specifically for the individual client. Perhaps his most unusual assignment was making a peg-leg to be worn as part of a Halloween costume. He drew a sketch and created the leg, then sanded it and planed it to fit exactly. If customers weren't friends before Lloyd accepted their commissions, they certainly were afterward. His legacy will live on in homes throughout Texas. Lloyd turned everything into a work of art; he couldn't even make you a sandwich without adding a touch of whimsy to the presentation. Lloyd was charming and compassionate. He had a wicked sense of humor and a gift for story-telling. A voracious reader with a wide-ranging mind, he understood intuitively how things worked and could fix anything, all the while explaining the nuances of World War II battles, aircraft design, or the history of space travel. He loved riding motorcycles and relaxing on Lake Travis in any way, shape, or form, which included jet-skis, sailboats, houseboats, and--in his later years--his 1960 Glasspar motorboat. He also loved hiking and camping in Big Bend and often commented that when he died, he wanted to be "thrown out the window"--meaning he wanted his ashes scattered along the park's beautiful Window Trail. He was, in short, an interesting person. Lloyd always said that the happiest day of his life was when his son, Jackson, was born. He was a devoted and fun-loving father. Besides Jackson, those grieving his passing include his wife, Kim Yarbrough; his brother, Charles (Buddy) Yarbrough; Jackson's mother, Cherry Kugle; and a diverse and loyal group of friends who will honor his memory by re-telling his many stories--though never as well as he did. A gathering to honor Lloyd's life will be held at a date yet to be determined. May the words of songwriter Guy Clark carry us forward: "Let us now praise a carpenter and the things that he made And the way that he lived by the tools of his trade..."