Clara May Stearns Scarbrough

Clara May Stearns Scarbrough Clara May Stearns Scarbrough, 94, of Georgetown, died Friday, November 28, 2008, at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center in Round Rock. On Sunday afternoon, following a private family service at graveside, she was laid to rest next to her husband, Donald Lee Scarbrough, in the International Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in Georgetown. Mrs. Scarbrough was best known as author of Land of Good Water: A Williamson County History , which laid the foundation for a preservation movement, which sprung up across the county in the 1970s. With her husband she also co-published The Williamson County Sun and six other Central Texas newspapers, and taught music in public schools for many years. She was born August 17, 1914, in Circleville to A.C. and Margaret (Tegge) Stearns. She was valedictorian of her Taylor High School class; she privately studied art and piano. In her youth she served as an accompanist for church choirs and a civic opera group. She attended the University of Texas in Austin where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in music and English and was elected to membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Many years later she returned to UT to earn a Master of Arts degree in music education. After college, she worked in Conroe as supervisor of public school music prior to her marriage to Donald Lee Scarbrough on September 21, 1940, in Taylor where together they published their first weekly newspaper, The Taylor Times . Upon buying the Williamson County Sun in 1948 and moving to Georgetown, Mrs. Scarbrough wrote extensively for the Sun and taught a course in journalism at Southwestern University. As an editor, publisher, historian, and teacher, her work to the benefit and education of others caused the Texas Legislature to declare her a "Texas Treasure". She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church Georgetown, the Williamson County Historical Commission, Alpha Phi Sorority, Georgetown Heritage Society, and was honored by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce for her contributions to Georgetown and by the Georgetown Symphony Society for her support of music throughout her life. Mrs. Scarbrough is survived by her two daughters, Linda Scarbrough, and husband Clark Thurmond, and Donna Josey of Georgetown; two granddaughters, Grace Josey and husband Jared Pyka and Kate Thurmond, of Georgetown; and two nephews, Jim Curik of Taylor and John Curik of Bryan-College Station. A public memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at a later date. For those who would like to send the family private condolences, you may do so by going to http://www.gabrielsfuneral.com