Lyda "Babe" Morton

In her early days, Lyda was known to her family and friends as ''Babe''. She lived life one day at a time and would tell you she was 39 and holding. She loved to read back in the day and read at least a book a week after she celebrated 100 years. At 102, she got tired and took her final nap.

Lyda was born to Lem and Leona O'Bryant on a farm in Utopia, Texas. She was raised there with 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Her dad and brothers chopped wood for the schoolhouse and she cleaned it to pay their tuition during the Depression.

During World War II, she test fired guns at the San Antonio arsenal to be shipped to the ''soldier boys''. Lyda played first base on a women's baseball team during the war and met an Army man named Paul McWaters. After a 5-month courtship, they were married for 36 years before ''Mac'' passed in 1981. They are survived by 3 daughters, Margaret Kothmann (Stan), Mary Adams and Paula Atkinson (Steve); 5 grandchildren, Kim Kothmann, Conrad Kothmann (Becky), Curtis Kothmann (Dandy), Wade Pantel and Brandi Newland (Justin); 6 great-grandchildren, Wes Kothmann (Hannah), Carson Kothmann, Brooks Kothmann, Wyatt Newland, Cash Newland and Carolyn Kothmann-Orr.

After losing Mac, Lyda lived near one daughter or the other over the years to be a part of the grandchildren's lives growing up until she married Dick Morton and became a rancher's wife in 1994. Dick told her one time, the cows don't care if you wear lipstick. She always had a clean house and cared for herself and those she loved. Dick passed in 2001 and at the age of 78, Lyda went to work at Grimes Funeral Home in Bandera, consoling others for a few years.

She moved to Kerrville in 2005 to live a simpler life doing the things she enjoyed, playing Bingo, cards and dominos. At 99, she moved to North Texas to be near her youngest daughter and granddaughter. Lyda spent her last few years reading, playing cards and watching the bunnies, the birds and despised the squirrels for stealing the bird seed.

Memorial services will be held at 2 PM, Monday, December 22, 2025, at Grimes Funeral Chapels, officiated by Rev. Frankie Enloe.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cal Farley Boys Ranch in Amarillo, TX.