“I knew who Mrs. Stanley Pittman Senior was. But after he passed away, I had no idea who Jackie Pittman was. I was 57 years old when he died, and that’s young,” said Jackie, who had always been a wife, a mom and a grandmother. “My husband was bound and determined to prove to my parents that he could take care of me! I had never gotten the oil changed in the car; I had never bought insurance. The second year after he died was the year I bought my first car.” It was also the year Jackie started making her home into what she proudly calls “a woman’s froufrou house.” At Easter, Jackie put yellow grass in the bathroom windowsill, and filled it with eggs. She makes her bed daily and sets on it a serving tray with a vase and flower. She has kept a few reminders of her husband but turned her home all feminine.
“My kids tease me about the bookcase in my sitting room. Everything on it was something really important to my husband. None of it is sad memories,” Jackie said. “I knew that if I was going to stay in this house, I needed to make this My home, My place, My comfort spot, My security blanket.” Jackie received a lot of help from her dear friend from San Antonio, Mary Solomon, whose husband had been Stan’s colleague. “Mary was always redecorating her house, and when I decided to do some redecorating she said, ‘Let’s set a date. I’ll come; we’ll talk; we’ll go look at fabric.’”
When you know exactly what you want, you do not waste time! “Mary sewed the table skirt that we put on the 59-year-old coffee table that myself and my children and my grandchildren learned to walk around. She put a pillow on top where I can put my feet up here if I want to,” Jackie said. “She made the mosaic tile serving tray that’s on top with a fondue set. It’s wonderful to have a friend who loves to decorate!”
Mary sewed the window treatments throughout Jackie’s home. On a window seat in the kitchen nook built originally by developers Don and Donna Volkman, Jackie has arranged at least 12 pillows. “Some were made by Mary; the white ones with Battenberg Lace were my mother’s,” Jackie said. “I’m free now to have as many pillows as I like! My husband didn’t like pillows. I love pillows!”
The burgundy guest room gives that bed-and-breakfast feel. From the adjoining bathroom, lined with spring bouquet wallpaper, you gaze through greenish-gold lace onto the tall four-
poster bed, fluffy with a satin comforter. “The rocking chair was my mom’s,” Jackie said. “She rocked my children and her great-grandchildren in it. The buffet that’s in there was my daddy’s mother’s.”
Jackie sleeps on the cast-iron bed that belonged to her parents. “I’m very sentimental,” Jackie admitted. “There isn’t enough money in the whole wide world to buy my memories. I also love making memories. Every time we took a trip or did something really unusual, Stan would say, ‘We’re making memories!’ How wonderful our life was because we filled it with memories!”
In the extended dining room where Jackie entertains friends and family, her grandchildren, Colton, Bethany and Jack Tanner, like to sit with the adults at the dining table. On one wall, Jackie displays her bell collection in a hand-made cabinet that Stan commissioned from a craftsman in Burleson. Around 2004, Jackie switched to collecting kitchen chefs and now has 72 “little cooking buddies” surrounding her while she cooks for the 13-member small group from her church that Jackie says brought laughter back into her life.

“After Stan died, I had really given up living. I got very involved in church at First United Methodist in Alvarado, where I have been for 18 years,” said Jackie, who now co-chairs the bereavement dinner committee, serves on the congregational care committee and leads the new Stephens Ministry counseling program. “I definitely found out who Jackie Pittman is: Jackie Pittman is a caregiver. It’s a different direction now from wife, mother and Grammie.
“The biggest thing in my life now is my Stephens Ministry. Not having one at our church, and being asked to start one showed me a side of me that I didn’t know existed, the fact that someone saw leadership in me. It’s been wonderful,” Jackie said. “God leads you in directions where you have no idea you could walk down that road, but He leads you down that road.”
Jackie also spends a lot of time putting together pictures of all her generations to adorn the walls of the hall on the way to her red, white and blue Mickey Mouse room. Her favorite ride at the family’s much-loved vacation spot, Disney World, is memorialized by a music globe that plays “It’s a Small World,” just one of the many souvenirs Stan bought her. Jackie is still taking her time getting her Mickey Mouse room just the way she wants it.
Jackie has so many other areas to play with! In the den, she keeps current a holiday tree. For Independence Day, she puts garlands, strings of white lights, flags and any knickknack that is red, white and blue. “I also decorate it for St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter,” Jackie said. “I just always wanted to have one, so I decided a couple of years ago, Why not?” Most recently, Jackie hired two trustworthy men to retile her screened porch. From Jackie’s lounging glider — or from one of the two rocking chairs that she and Stan bought from Cracker Barrel as a gift for his mom before she passed away — Jackie can sit and gaze at the pool. “It’s a neat place to drink coffee in the morning and meditate,” she said. “Now, I gotta get my happy butt in that pool!”

Written by Melissa Rawlins

While waiting in an outer room as her friend received chemotherapy treatments, Lynn listened to other patients’ family members who were hurting as much as the patients in the next room, and she took away something very valuable from those meetings. “They needed to talk to someone about their loved one who was so sick. I had to admire how they coped with the difficult situation,” Lynn said. “The coffee there was only warm and there was no food, no magazines. So I started bringing in lunchmeat and fruit, apples, chips, peanut butter and little rolls. In the morning I brought Danish and orange juice and water. It was a kind of cold room so I brought decorations, too. The nurses got to know me and let me bring food in to the eight to 10 patients there who were hooked to intravenous drip equipment for four or five hours at a time — they needed to eat, too!”

“When I left Corsicana and moved to Dallas I started out with a store of my own where I sold some interior decorations. Later I worked for a design firm,” Lynn said. She learned to listen to clients and to find the best-dollar cost for what they wanted. Lynn originally taught herself the interior design business by moving around the furniture in her room at the State Home in Corsicana. “My design sense probably came from a combination of movies and fantasies,” she explained. “I lived at the State Home when it was an orphanage] from the time I was 5 until I left at 21. I give a lot of credit to the city. People didn’t need to give us labels. The city didn’t make us feel less. We felt we were socially equal with other kids we met in school. Other children at the home were like sisters. We were not mistreated. There were many good workers there. We had lots of activities and athletics. We started going to public school at fourth grade and good teachers treated us as people ‘of worth.’ Jim Compton was an important mentor to me.”

When she finished high school she was sent to Stephen F. Austin State University. “They left me there with my boxes of shoes. I didn’t know you had to register. I did not know how to do it either, so I just stood in the shortest lines and I ended up with classes like golf and geology,” Lynn said laughing. After a year, I knew I was just not right there, so I came back to Navarro College. After I moved out of the home, I worked there for a while. “Another reason I returned to Corsicana was that Tom’s father, Perry, got sick,” Lynn said. “Perry Taylor was a radio announcer here in Corsicana. I admired Tom’s parents and loved how they took me into their family when we married. When Perry got sick, I knew it was time to come home.” Tom and I found this house that had been empty for a year-and-a-half. It is not a big house, but I grew up in big buildings, and now I like smaller, cozy rooms. I want the house to fold its arms around you.”

Family is important to Lynn. There is an extensive collection of photographs on the “family wall” in the master bedroom. “When my daughter, Tina, was born, I knew there was a good God to create such a miracle,” Lynn said. “My son, Jake, is in finance. He has two sons, Gavin who is 9 and Gage who is 6. My daughter, Tina, is a diagnostician in Mansfield, and she has a son, Jake, who is 8, and a daughter, Kinsey, who is 4. We have a big Easter Egg hunt event every year,” Lynn said. “I’m the kid at this event.” Big straw bunnies in Easter clothes dominate the long dining room table, and an Easter basket welcomes the children at the front door. When the couple moved into the house, it needed work, and they spent the first year redecorating, moving doorways and opening up French doors to the patio. The deck was expanded to create a large, inviting space to sit and read, to eat outdoors in good weather and to entertain friends and family. A two-story clubhouse is under construction in the backyard. The upper house will be a special hideaway for the three boy grandchildren, Gavin, Gage and Jake. The space for the couple’s granddaughter, Kinsey, and her girl friends will be on ground level. Tom’s space is a vegetable garden next to the clubhouse.

“I am intimidated by my kitchen,” Lynn admitted. “Not much intimidates me, but the kitchen does. My kids say I am a good cook. I just keep it simple.” Clearly, Lynn is not intimidated by the rest of the house. From the first step through the front door a visitor will recognize the masterly hand of an experienced designer. There is something interesting and unusual to see on every wall and on every table top. Lynn is a practiced bargain hunter. The look of custom drapery in the master bedroom was created by adding fabric and trim to the drapery brought from a former house. “The dining room table came from an estate sale in the neighborhood,” Lynn pointed out. “And that lamp was a great deal I found in one of the antique stores on Beaton Street. I love redoing older houses. I’d do it again, moving out of this one to start over on another one.”

Written by Joan Kilbourne

The sturdy eight-year-old home is furnished simply with a natural, relaxed, uncluttered feel, perfectly fitting the family living there. Wallace is the picture of stability and rather prefers to stay out of the spotlight. He works as a software development manager for Hewlett-Packard. Lisa, currently the prayer minister at Trinity Church of Cedar Hill, is a bit more extroverted. Gracious beyond most typical 20-year-olds, Trae studies broadcast communication at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU). Dolly, a Labrador-Blue Heeler mix, roams the house, looking to Lisa for affection. This family may appear to live a peaceful, uneventful life. “We’re just quiet people,” Wallace said. And yet, they have been through some adventures — and a few close calls. Lisa, reared in Oklahoma, actually spent her teen years heading toward danger unaware. She played bass guitar and wrote songs for a band. “We played in bars and clubs,” she said, “I had a recording contract, too.” But she admitted that her life had been on the wrong track.

Then at age 18, she had a true spiritual conversion experience. Her priorities changed with her new life. “I became passionate about the Gospel, and felt called to serve people’s spiritual needs.” Realizing the recording label did not have her true interests at heart, Lisa approached their agent about giving up her contract. She told him, “You don’t want my talent; you want my soul — and that belongs to Someone else.” She came to North Texas and attended classes at Southwestern Assemblies of God College [now SAGU] and has been in the ministry ever since. Wallace has lived in the DFW Metroplex since his teens, after moving many times during his childhood.

He was an outstanding high school athlete who won a college swimming scholarship. After earning a BBA from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), he worked as an accountant for a few years, then resigned to pursue a second degree at SAGU.

However, a diploma is not what he came away with. “After I got there, I met Lisa — and once we married I dropped out.” The couple lived in Cedar Hill, where Lisa worked for a time at a flower shop. Her ministry work paid little, but she said, “Wallace worked; I preached … it worked out.” She has occasionally performed weddings for which she also
arranged the flowers; she still enjoys floral work.

The family expanded in 1989, when Trae was born. Then in 1994, the Swayzes bought a house in east DeSoto. They closed on the mortgage, and a few hours later, ran an errand to buy supplies for the new house. While they were out the house was destroyed by the tornado that damaged much of DeSoto and Lancaster.

“We were stuck in Walmart for a while — but at least we weren’t in the house,” Wallace said. Thankful at being kept safe, he and Lisa were also relieved to learn that their homeowner’s insurance was in force — although the ink on their first premium check had barely dried. About four years ago when Lisa joined the staff at Trinity Cedar Hill, the family wanted to relocate in the same city. They did not buy their current home
until 2009.

Lisa claimed a small office off the entry for her own, while Wallace outfitted a
downstairs bedroom as his office. Trae has a first-floor suite. The spacious kitchen
features a work island, open shelving for cookbooks and a large dining table. The back
deck is furnished with a porch swing Lisa’s father built. Upstairs, a media room and
sauna are hidden away at the west end of the house. The master bedroom’s undraped
windows provide Wallace and Lisa with a spectacular view toward Grand Prairie. Lisa
pointed out the second-floor deck opening from the room. “We love to come up here
on the Fourth of July,” she said. “We can watch the fireworks from eight to 10 cities.”
As much as they enjoy their home and community, Wallace and Lisa have always
loved to travel. Lisa remembers praying early in their marriage for opportunities to do
so. When their budget was at its tightest, Wallace found a job with American Airlines.
Six months later, he received flight privileges. For their first flight, he and Lisa flew to
Washington, D.C. for a day. They ate hot dogs on the streets, hurried around to
visit the free museums and flew home, enjoying steak on the return flight. “We
only spent about $20 for the whole day,” Wallace recalled. He even enjoys business
travel. He laughs about the week he spent working in London. “It was during
the ‘mad cow’ era. People told me I was crazy to go to England then.” Another time,
his employer sent him all the way to Auckland, New Zealand, to attend a one-hour
customer support meeting. “It took four days to get there and back,” he added.

If anyone ought to buy travel insurance, the Swayzes probably should.
On one family trip, Lisa was seriously injured in a skiing accident, requiring
nine surgeries and procedures over the next two months. Almost as bad was her
reaction to the medications used: she experienced debilitating sickness for the
next seven years. “But then all at once, overnight, I was miraculously healed
from that sickness,” she said.

They have taken fun-filled vacations to San Diego and Walt Disney World often,
thanks to Wallace’s travel privileges. The family’s most memorable trip, though,
was a mission venture to Nepal. Trae was around 11 when they visited the povertystricken
Third World country. “That was a very eye-opening experience for me,”
he said, “as an only child who thought the world revolved around me.”
Wallace described riding a bus over Nepal’s narrow, winding mountain roads, looking
down and seeing wrecked vehicles at the bottom of cliffs. Lisa put in, “On one
of those mountain turns I was sitting over the back right wheel, and I could
feel it was hanging out away from the pavement.” Wallace smiled at her. “We
enjoy challenges and adventure,” he said.

The Swayzes do not seek safety in stone walls or in avoiding risks. They
have another room, which illustrates the source of their confidence. A
stairwell going up from the second-floor mezzanine leads to a narrow back room
with large windows. A Bible rests on a shelf. “We use this,” Lisa quietly stated,
“as a prayer room.”

Written by Janice C. Johnson

Included would be space for their son Brett, then in law school, to come visit. And, of course, for the family he would one day have. “Brett is Larry’s and my crowning achievement,” Nancy
said. Larry had pointed out a flat spot behind where the house would stand. He wanted to put a pond there and stock it with bass, “for the grandbabies,” he said.

Nancy designed the layout of the home with help from an architect who drew up the plans. A talented artist, she had taught both architectural drafting and art in Midlothian. “I knew just enough to be dangerous,” she said. But she managed an open design, which, from the kitchen counter, allows a 270-degree view through the dining room, kitchen, nook and den windows. Upstairs she included two extra bedrooms, an office and a loft. Once they closed on the land and had the house plans in the works, the Carsons bought a farm tractor, which they nicknamed “Ol’ Tex”, and rented a Bobcat. They plunged into the hard work of preparing the lot. Some of their future neighbors met petite, energetic Nancy as she tramped around wearing shorts and heavy boots, swinging an axe to cut brush. She and Larry paved a long, winding driveway and laid the water and electric lines themselves.

Finally, in May 2004, they moved into the new house. They did not need to buy much furniture, having collected antiques since their newlywed days. They had started out as budget-conscious young teachers. “We learned that the cheapest way to get stuff was from auctions,” Nancy explained, “and it was real wood.” Larry refinished many of the pieces. “He got to be pretty good at it,” Nancy said. They collected mostly “barley twist” furniture, with legs carved in a helix design. Nancy repeated the twist in lamps and accessories, the staircase balusters and even some of the kitchen woodwork. The dark wood furniture stands out against the home’s low-key, light-colored interior.

While Larry divided his time between office hours and working on the land, Nancy shouldered many of the chores.
She learned when to mow the abundant bluebonnets and how close to the house she should let them grow. “Since you can’t mow bluebonnets until June, if they come up too close to the house you get high weeds in the yard. And then you get armadillos!” She loves most of the animals roaming the area, but armadillos root in the ground and leave dangerous holes. The Carsons had been in their new home for barely a year when Larry became ill, then died within just a few weeks. All the plans and dreams he and Nancy had shared seemed lost. There she was on her own, battling weeds, armadillos and loneliness. Struggling to adjust, Nancy realized, “The grass still grows, and somebody’s got to mow it. So that’s what I do,” she said.

The outdoor work, which had started as a project and later became part of her routine, soon began to bring her comfort
and healing. “You start all over,” she said. “Being out here … I’ve been doing everything myself. By God’s grace that’s how I’ve made it. He’s kept me busy; it’s been very physical.” Nancy has drawn comfort from other things besides hard work. She continues a long-standing tradition of creating original Christmas card designs, each drawing recalling a family memory. Their Midlothian colleagues whom, she said, “just cannot say enough about Larry,” have offered support. She joined the neighborhood garden club and book club, and has gained part interest in some of the “community dogs” that live at large, welcomed and fed everywhere. The sky is endless from Nancy’s hilltop; she would watch storms rolling in from the distance, or sunsets blazing and then softening into dusk. Birds, from sparrows to blue herons, added their companionship unaware.

Over time, her natural sparkle and energy began to return. Then in 2006, she gained a lovely daughter when Brett and his fiancée, Kim, were married. Nancy’s life grew full again. Her home is now filled with personal treasures, mostly photographs and family mementos, such as the antique clocks that belonged to her father. Nancy finds satisfaction in her favorite “accessories” — old-fashioned hand tools tucked in here and there. To her designer’s eye, the tools’ craftsmanship elevates their simple usefulness to art.

She surrounds herself with memories outdoors, too. For instance, on fishing trips with Larry, Nancy used to search for and collect heart-shaped rocks. She explained, “I’d get tired of fishing before he did.” She has used that collection to accent the flower bed under her kitchen window. Even “Ol’ Tex” stands proudly on the lawn, retired from homesteading duties and now designated “yard art.”

Asked what she likes best about her home, Nancy said, “Oh — the views! It’s really not so much the house as the
surroundings.” Fond of the scenery beyond her hill, creek and trees, she often keeps her undraped plantation blinds open in the daytime so as not to block the view

Two years ago, Nancy had the pond dug — the one Larry had envisioned. She laughed as she remembered indignant creatures disturbed by the earth-moving equipment. “I looked out and saw a mama skunk walking away from the pond
area, with six babies lined up behind her.

All seven of their tails were standing straight up in the air!” Armed with advice from the County Extension Office, she
began preparing the pond for fish. “I learned there’s a certain sequence of plants and animals you have to introduce,” she said. She planted a few pecan trees beside the pond, to provide shade in the future.

And then, last year, Brett and Kim had their first son, Crew Dale Carson. Brett, Kim and little Crew have brought Nancy much joy and fulfillment. She is now dreaming of the day when Crew will be big enough so he and his daddy can go fishing in Larry’s pond.

— Written by Janice C. Johnson

Judy, the eldest of a Michigan farm family’s eight
children, had moved to Ennis with her husband and
three daughters in 1980. Rocky had grown up in
Abbott, Hill County, Texas. Both were
“single again” when they met in Ennis’
American Legion Hall: the band Rocky
managed was playing for a dance there,
which Judy attended. When the “tall,
good-looking Southern gentleman” asked
her to dance, she accepted. They hit it
off, married in 1994 and spent the next
six years looking for just the right place
to call home. They wanted an inviting
house where the step-siblings could all
visit and feel like part of one family.
“We looked at some new houses, but
they were too commercial-feeling,”
Rocky said.

Then in 2000, a casual acquaintance
mentioned he wanted to sell his house.
The Steeles asked to see it. They arrived
to find overgrown trees and landscaping
that almost hid the house. But they were
barely inside the front door when both
knew they had found their home. “We
just loved the floor plan, and especially
the front porch,” Judy said. Originally a
two-story house, its upstairs had been
damaged by fire in the 1940s. Rather than
rebuilding the second floor, the owner
simply had it removed and a new roof
built over the old first floor, resulting in a
three-bedroom, two-bath house.
When the Steeles bought the 80-
year-old home, its previous owner had
done much of the structural work it
had needed. Rocky and Judy set about
improving its appearance. First they
thinned out trees and cut back overgrown
shrubs. Turning to the building itself, they found many of its charming
original features intact, such as the windows, interior woodwork and four
working fireplaces. They wanted to make the home more comfortable
and convenient without losing its old-fashioned character. Since their
daughters — Judy’s three and Rocky’s four — had all left home by this
time, they have been able to remodel at leisure, project by small project.
They simply use whichever rooms they are not working on at any given
time. “It’s definitely a work in progress,” Judy said. “We pay as we go,”
Rocky added. Judy’s daughters, who still live in Ennis, have often stepped
in to help with wallpapering and other chores.

From fixtures and appliances to paint and furniture, the Steeles have
selected items which maintain the home’s classic architecture. They have
transformed the area behind the ample kitchen into a cozy, double office
and a laundry/utility room. Despite new appliances, the kitchen’s matte
green walls, white cabinetry and retro-style sink and faucet preserve
its vintage look. “The kitchen is one room you can modernize without
decreasing its value,” Rocky said. Victorian style graces the dining room
and carries into a compact bathroom whimsically decorated with a small
chandelier — “the cute bathroom,” according to one daughter. More
masculine touches include the leather-furnished den and the master
bedroom’s blue-and-white quilt and drapes.

When it came to furnishing the house, the expertise came from Rocky,
whose family had worked in the furniture industry for many years. “I’ve
done everything with furniture,” he said. “Designing it, building it,
upholstering it — and sitting on it.” Building on his experience
creating award-winning conversion interiors, he blended period
pieces from antique stores, friends and relatives, with new
fabrics. The look is so harmonious that every item appears
to be part of the home’s original furnishings, but Judy said,
“Everything comes from somewhere else.”

Meanwhile, the extended family was
growing, adding sons-in-law and grandchildren.
Rocky and Judy began inviting everyone to
their home for Easter, Thanksgiving and
Christmas. Wanting to give their grandchildren
a sense of having roots, they blended some
holiday traditions from both families, and
persisted in following those for each gathering.
They can tell their efforts have paid off. As
Judy said, “Now if we try to deviate, even a
little, they come after us!” Lady, the couple’s German Shepherd-
Husky mix, does her part to make each grandchild feel safe
and welcome. Affectionate with family, but aggressive toward
intruders, she reigns as both hostess and bouncer.
The couple also instills a sense of belonging by displaying
old family photographs and memorabilia, and telling the
stories to the young ones. Rocky tells them about his greatgreat
grandfather, Alfonso Steele, who appears in an old photo
hanging in the living room. Alfonso was the first Steele in Texas
and the last living veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto. As the
grandchildren find him in their Texas history books, each in turn
has called up “Papa” to ask for more details about their greatgreat-
great-great grandfather.

Attractive as it is, are there some challenges to living in a
90-year-old house. Judy, unconcerned, said, “Oh, it can be cold
and drafty, but that just reminds me of the old farmhouse in
Michigan. In a way, adding an extra blanket or putting on a
sweater is like comfort food.”

The Steeles, with their rural backgrounds, enjoy
living in Ennis. Rocky said, “Even though it’s a
small town, it has the conveniences we need.” He
also likes the people. “They have the education and
style of city people, but they’re nice, down-home
folks.” Judy, after years of working in Dallas as a
legal secretary, now represents Mary Kay and works
part-time with Harriett Adams. She relishes the
more relaxed pace.

At last count, Rocky and Judy had seven
daughters, six sons-in-law, 21 grandchildren, one
great-grandchild, and another on the way. Their grandchildren,
ranging in age from 4 to 21, include several talented athletes
and musicians. The Steeles are proud of every one of them.
The children and grandchildren love gathering at the old house,
accepting each other like blood relatives. “The character of this
house helped do it,” Rocky said. Judy added, “There’s nothing
new here to worry about ruining. They can just be comfortable.”
In 2006, all their daughters got their children together to sit
for a photo, then surprised Rocky and Judy with a large framed
copy. The priceless photo, now hanging in the hallway, includes
every grandchild they had at the time. Rocky may credit his
classic house, but surely his and Judy’s loving example set the
tone for blending their families so well.

Written by Janice C. Johnson

Antique double doors at the front lead into a spacious living
area, or is it a railway passenger lounge and about 80 years back
in time? A stone fountain stands inside near the entrance, just
as in a real train station. Dark brown chair rails and art-deco
woodwork and fixtures stand out against off-white walls.

The polished brown concrete floor is left open and the furniture,
mostly small, is tucked into corners. Two rocking chairs draw
together in a window alcove like elderly cousins settling in for
a chat. Across the room, an elaborate wooden birdcage stands
beside a Queen Anne settee.

A placard above the back door
reads “To The Trains.” This whimsical
touch of realism becomes even more
convincing as you look outside: a
Pullman railroad car, the kind with
private sleeping compartments, sits just
beyond the back porch.

The Hudgins’ adventure and romance
began long before they built their home
almost three years ago. “During my
teen years in Gilmer, I worked summers
cleaning ditches for the fire department,”
David remembered. “Over time, both
my responsibilities and interest in
firefighting grew.” After high school, he
began studying business administration
at Tyler Junior College but soon found
that his heart was in firefighting rather
than business. In 1968, hearing of
some openings in the Houston Fire
Department, he applied, got hired and
left college behind. He now serves as
Waxahachie’s fire chief.

Paula holds advanced degrees in
nursing and works as a psychiatric
nurse practitioner. In 1973, she was a
busy undergraduate at Houston Baptist
University where she worked weekends
as an emergency room receptionist. One
December day, a paramedic who had
brought in a patient told her, “I know the
perfect guy for you …” and set up a blind
date for her and David.

What is a first date without some
little disaster? Paula remembered, “We
went to a steak house, on Westheimer in
Houston, and had a very nice meal. Now,
I don’t wear my shoes very often, so, here
I was on a blind date, and I had taken
my shoes off and kicked them under the
table. Then after the meal I had to get
under the table to find my shoes.” She
may have felt flustered, but not David.

“He still took me out on a second date!”
Paula said. David’s persistence paid off.
He and Paula married before her senior
year in college almost 35 years ago
— their union now proudly evident in
the “D&P Railroad” sign on their gate.
David shows the same patience and
persistence in developing the “D&P
Railroad’s” period decor as he did when
courting Paula or choosing his career.

Complementing carefully-chosen historic
furniture, the many architectural features
in the home look like they were custom
crafted for it. But David has collected
them over a period of decades, rescuing
turn-of-the-century doors from one
building demolition and wooden brackets
or leaded glass windows from another.
Everything that is not actually old is
chosen for its authentic appearance, from
forest green, damask carpet to the clawfoot
tub hiding modern whirlpool jets.

David’s persistence is even more
evident in the Pullman car outside. He
has spent years restoring the car to the
glamour it originally enjoyed as a private
car. He said, “It was built for the Union
Pacific Railroad by the Pullman Company. The railroad bought
it for their superintendent in the Omaha headquarters. It was
the ‘corporate jet’ of its day — his car to travel to different parts
of the country with his crew to take care of business.” Besides
sleeping berths, a bath with shower, a parlor and office space
for the superintendent and his assistant, the car contains its own
kitchen and dining room. “The wood-burning stove still works,”
David noted.

Bit by bit, he has refinished paneling, polished
brass, overhauled the plumbing and even bought a set of replica
Union Pacific china. He is also adding one modern touch: airconditioning.
This long-term “hobby” will double as a guest
house someday.

The extra space will come in handy. “There are no tables in
the house – just card tables we can set up if we want,” David
explained. “Our thought was, when we get the dining room [in
the Pullman] fixed up, if we want to entertain more formally, it
will be out there. That’s what I’m looking forward to, is when
I’ve gotten to that point.”

Paula does not miss having a dining table. “I like my little
kitchen. Everything is right there within reach. I like the stove
with the serving [bar] around it.” She saves steps and can enjoy
her company while cooking. “The house is kind of small,”
David said, “but it’s exactly what we wanted. We didn’t want a
big place.”

Paula counted off, “One bedroom, two
baths, a study, the kitchen.” Their builder
had suggested more rooms, but they
would not hear of it. Paula elaborated. “I
hate housework; here, I don’t have a lot
of housework.”

David likes the great room best. The
art depicts Civil War scenes (his other
hobby), which adds to the historic feel.
A shaft in the high ceiling leads up to a
skylight-like tower with different colored
windows on all four sides. David loves to
relax in the living area and watch the light
change with the sun’s movement.

Paula is not the railroad buff David
is, but both enjoy rail travel. “When our
children were growing up, we went on
vacation on the Amtrak train,” David
said. “That was as much of the vacation
as wherever we were going.” Their
tradition is to buy a unique memento of
David said, “Whether we’re going to
battlegrounds or looking at old homes or
plantations, it’s not just to be different,
but it’s something we really like, and
we want to capture it if we can.” Paula
added, “Both of us have real serious jobs,
and it’s good to get away and have fun.
He doesn’t bring his job home; I don’t
bring my job home. We just relax and take
it easy together.” This house they love to
be in is the perfect place for that.

Written by Janice C. Johnson

To view more photos related to this story, download the online version.

As she spoke about their first meeting in the halls of the Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center, Xavier held on tightly to Isabella, the younger of their two children, grinning and nodding his head in agreement.

That was just a little over five years ago. At 29, he was the CEO at the hospital, and she was about to begin nursing school. It was not long after this first meeting that Xavier proposed and a very short engagement began. They were married September 25, 2004. “It was love at first sight for both of us,” he said.

The young couple moved to Corsicana when Xavier accepted the CEO position at Navarro Regional Hospital. They both laughed aloud as they remembered house hunting and trying to decide on
the one abode that would be right for their growing family. “He spent two to three weeks living in temporary housing while looking at possible homes, while Michael, our oldest, and I waited in Abilene,” Tiffany said, also mentioning that she remained behind to complete her education in nursing and earn her
associate’s degree. As Xavier looked at newer homes, Tiffany spent countless hours on the Internet house hunting. “I found this home and fell in love with the sunroom,” she confessed. “It had been
vacant for nearly a year. The yard was
grown up and the in-ground pool needed lots of attention.”

In the beginning, Xavier did not want to seriously consider the two-story, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath, traditional style home because of the elbow grease it was going to need at the onset. That soon changed after some “persistent pushing” from Tiffany. “I compromised,” Xavier said. The remodel with its Old World charm included a fresh coat of paint throughout,
refurbished hardwood floors, new carpet and updates that modernized the house and transformed it into exactly what Tiffany had envisioned when she first saw it.

The master bath was the only room that was completely gutted and redone in the remodeling process. Xavier said, “We upgraded the room to allow for height. We made something very small into a room that is much more functional.” The stonework, soothing
earth tone colors and natural skylight give the room a spa-like feeling. “It was money well spent,” Xavier added.

Wallpaper was removed and replaced with textured walls and paint colors that change from room-to-room, yet all are complementary to one another. The Jack-and-Jill bathroom upstairs received a much-needed facelift that included paint, new tile countertops and the addition of a shower. “My dad converted the tub into a tub with a shower,” Tiffany explained.

“I laid the tile on both countertops to match his work in the shower.” Thanks to her father, HGTV and a rented wet tile saw, Tiffany’s handiwork turned out to be something she and Xavier are very proud of, and it only took her one weekend to complete the task. One wall downstairs comes with a story all its own.

“The longest wall in the formal dining area was nothing but floor-to-ceiling mirrors,” Xavier recalled. “People would stare at themselves,” Tiffany added. “Sometimes they would even scare themselves.” They turned the “aerobic wall” into a sheet-rocked, textured and painted wall that is now the showcase for the family’s collection of crosses.

As members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Corsicana, the family’s faith is felt and also seen throughout the house. Aside from the collection in the dining room, almost every other
room displays at least one or more crosses, while very special crucifixes protect Michael and Isabella.

“The crucifix hanging over Michael’s door was my mom’s christening cross,” Tiffany noted. “The one hanging over Isabella’s bedroom door was given to us by Xavier’s father and his wife. It was brought back from the Holy Land, and it was blessed by a priest in Xavier’s hometown of Corpus Christi.”

In this new home, Tiffany’s childhood Barbie doll collection remains carefully boxed up and stored in the attic. Tiffany’s vast collection may be stored away, but that has not stopped her from starting a collection for Isabella. “Every year from now on she will receive a celebration or holiday Barbie,” Tiffany added. “The entire collection will all be Isabella’s one day.”

As an avid reader of the written word, Xavier collects books, lots and lots of books, as evidenced by the built-in bookshelf in the home office. With a wife, two small children and a demanding position at the hospital, he does not always find the time he would like to spend reading, but when the extra time does present itself, he does not hurt for a good book.
Other items that are sentimental to the couple include a Bible that once belonged to Tiffany’s grandparents and a piano that Xavier grew up with. “Michael bangs on it now to his own tune,” Tiffany smiled. A bookcase that was built by Xavier’s dad when he was in high school holds Tiffany’s large collection of cookbooks. “It’s very functional,” she said, “but it also has such deep meaning.”

A silver tea set that once belonged to Tiffany’s grandmother, and Limoges china and crystal are lovingly displayed in the china hutch. The sunroom is the most comfortable, lived-in area in the home. With two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the backyard and pool area, the
natural lighting offers a great place for the children to play during the day, while becoming a movie room for the adults in the evenings and on weekends.

Looking back over the past five years of their marriage, Tiffany confesses it was love at first sight prompting her to want to become a wife and mother.

Today, marriage and children have enriched her and Xavier’s lives in so many ways. “When we’re alone or away, we miss the kids,” Xavier said. “Life now is focused on the children,” Tiffany added. “We are very blessed.”

Written by Sandra Skoda

The Westers have two girls — BriAnn, a freshman in high school and KayLee, a second-grader. With an upstairs game room, replete in Texas Rangers baseball decor and equipped with games, air hockey, a Sony Wii®, a small soda fridge and futons for slumber parties, the neighborhood children — 14 in all — have their own party hangout.

“The game room is more for the kids,” Chad explained. “They can come up here; they can play and watch TV, and we can be downstairs. They don’t interrupt us or vice versa, but they are still here in the house, and we can check on them if we need to.” Having extended family close by makes holidays much more stress-free and cuts down on travel time.

“Both sets of our parents are here,” Elizabeth mentioned. “Most of our grandparents are here, too, so we pretty much stay here in Ennis for Christmas.”

Christmas Eve often finds them at Chad’s parents’ home. “We have ‘Santa Claus’ on Christmas
morning here at our house. Usually my parents come over for breakfast and see what the kids got; then we go over there in the afternoon for Christmas lunch.”

Family traditions are cherished by Chad and Elizabeth both. “We have stockings that have been passed down by my dad’s mother, Frances Wester,” Chad mentioned. Hung on a special stocking hanger in the hallway, each stocking sports “Granny Wester’s” special mementos of each person.

Chad’s has his class ring whereas Elizabeth’s has her wedding photo. Elizabeth likes to keep organized, whether she doing her job as one of the office managers at AGTM Engineering, or driving her girls to school, Lionette practice and dance classes. She is the Lionette booster club president and also a PTO officer for Sam Houston Elementary. She and Chad are the entertainment chairmen for Ennis

Relay for Life and also operate Custom Sounds, a disc jockey service, on the weekends. The key to keeping things organized is the “mud room.”

“This is main central of our house,” she said. “This is literally my favorite area of the house. I am such an organized freak.” Backpacks, dance bags and coats each have a place. “Everything comes here and nothing goes further than right here.

We all have our own hook.” Calendars, school items and invitations are neatly grouped here. Chad, an Ennis fireman, even has a cabinet here where he can plug in his chargers and radio scanner.

“We usually have the Bardwell Fire Department party at our house,” Elizabeth said. Chad volunteers there as assistant fire chief, as well as teaching at the Navarro
College fire academy.

Even at Christmas, Elizabeth organizes gifts for parents, nieces, nephews and siblings under one tree and then puts immediate family presents under another tree. With over 20 trees on display throughout the home, this is no problem.

“We have a tree in every room,” Chad agreed. “The tree in the office is decorated with a fire department theme, which coincides with the room’s decor. A lot of the fire ornaments

I’ve had since childhood.” Some were passed down from Elizabeth’s father, who was a fireman before he became city inspector. “Elizabeth even comes down and decorates a tree at the fire station.”

Every tree in the house has a different style and coordinates with the room in which it is placed. “My mom likes decorating trees, so she usually comes over and helps me,” Elizabeth mentioned. “Chad’s mom also really likes to decorate, and I kind of got the multiple-tree idea from her, because she puts up lots of trees.” The dining room’s light-toned wooden furniture is accented with a tree resplendent in red, silver, snowflakes and glitter.

The cozy family living area sports a country-style tree with old yarn ornaments, little sweater ornaments and little wooden wreaths. Stained concrete floors and an open-living concept make meals a low-maintenance family-affair. “Chad does all the cooking and that is one of the things he wanted, when we built our house five years ago, for the kitchen to be open to the living area,” Elizabeth mentioned. Pendant lights on a track over the bar, verde granite countertops and an island-on-wheels all contribute to a living space that makes family gatherings convenient.

The master bedroom, with its iron-and-wood bed, decorated in cinnamon tones, has two trees of its own, each decorated with glass ornaments. The marble counters in the master bath reflect the golden
glow of that room’s tree. Elizabeth’s grandmother’s quilt hangs in her bedroom on a quilt hanger made by her father. Beneath it is an heirloom chest. “That was my toy box when I was a child,” Chad pointed out. “My grandfather made it.” A Willow Tree angel collection in the bedroom
coordinates with the Willow Tree nativity in the living room. BriAnn and KayLee help put a
festive spin on their own rooms.

“Every year we buy them a Hallmark ornament, and they each have a tree in their room which they decorate,” Elizabeth said. KayLee’s room has gauzy butterflies suspended from the ceiling which mimic the design in her quilt. Pastel blue and green walls are enlivened by fuchsia accents and her crown/tiara collection — souvenirs of birthday and wedding celebrations. The contemporary flair in BriAnn’s room is typified in the turquoise IKEA® nightstand and round turquoise chair.

A silky purple bedspread plays off lavender walls. “We dazzled up the green lamp ourselves,” Elizabeth demonstrated, “with beads and ribbon.” The daughters share a bathroom, jaunty with its lime-green-and-fuchsiastriped shower curtain. “They have a pink, purple and green aluminum tinsel tree for their bathroom.”

Elizabeth’s Christmas preparations begin the week of Thanksgiving. Chad pulls down box after box from the garage attic, with a friend’s help. “It takes me a whole weekend to put it
up,” she said. “I basically un-decorate the entire house, clearing out everything that can move — ficus trees, rockers, regular decor and then I start.” Glass hurricanes filled with balls go on the coffee table, a berry wreath hangs over the fireplace, and a cheery snow globe collection nestles on the end table. In a couple of days, the Westers are ready for the festivities
to begin.

Written by Kelly Kovar.

Kelly Ludwig, originally from West Texas, has lived in her haunted Halloween house for 10 years now, and each year, her decorations get a little more elaborate, her costumes a little more fun and her stockpile of candy a little larger.

“At first I was scared to death of what the neighbors would think,” Kelly admitted. Now, with the help of her newlywed husband, Erik, and the seven children of their blended family, as well as
some extended family and friends, the Ludwig house is quickly becoming a favorite trick-or-treat stop.

The sidewalks leading up to the Ludwig home begin their frightful transformation at the end of September. “I’ve collected so much stuff over the years; it takes a while to get it all up. When I start opening up all my boxes of stuff — every year it’s like Christmas for me,” Kelly said. Spooky spider webs string their way across trees, chilling coffins and cemetery headstones pop up, grasping hands protrude from the ground and dead mannequins sit, stand and lie around in all their gory, lifelike glory.

“I try to make sure that nothing is too scary. I want the kids to have a good time, but I don’t want to make them really scared,” Kelly added. “If there’s such a thing as good scary, that’s what I’m going for. I’ll tell parents to have their kids come by in the daytime, and I’ll walk with them so they don’t get so scared.”

Kelly, the marketing assistant for Erwin Distributing, the home office for Wally’s Party Factory, counts herself lucky because each year she is able to add to her already impressive stockpile of Halloween goodies. “I’m just constantly buying supplies. I buy something new every year. You should see my attic!” she smiled.

Kelly’s love for the Halloween holiday comes from her childhood. “I grew up in the country, and no one goes trick-or-treating in the country,” she said.

“Houses are too spaced out, and it’s just not possible like it is in town. I never got to give out candy on Halloween, so when I got older, it was just something I loved to do.” Kelly’s favorite part of the holiday tradition is giving the children who come by her house candy and treats. “I just love being on the giving end, seeing their faces light up,” she added. “It’s so much fun, and they’re so entertaining. It’s like having a big carnival in my front yard.”

Kelly and her crew love to hand-pick treats from the candy cauldron for those with the best costumes. The house actually had a haunted tradition even before Kelly purchased it. Like many homes in this area of Texas, ghost stories and scary tales about the residence have been passed down for generations.

“There’s a picture of this house in Best Tales of Texas Ghosts on page 45,” Kelly shared, revealing her copy of the book by Docia Schultz Williams. “This used to be the Keever home, and there have been all kinds of stories about the place. Personally, I’ve never felt it to be haunted. I’ve loved living here, but the stories are fun, and we do get a lot of curious people who come by because they’ve heard about it
or read about it.”

Erik, a volunteer fireman, not only indulges his wife in her Halloween obsession, but has become a part of the ensuing craziness. In fact, he and his son drove by the house one October years ago, before ever having met Kelly.

“I’m sure he never would have guessed he’d end up married to the crazy lady dressed as Elvira,” Kelly laughed. “We actually met on a blind date, and my sister warned me of certain things not to talk about on a first date. She asked me, ‘Does he know what you do for Halloween?’” Their first date was in August, and that next October, Erik found himself standing in the yard, dressed in a lab coat covered in fake blood with a big screw coming out of his head. “Now that’s love!” Kelly smiled. “We had his son, Lucas, dressed up too, as the guy from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It was great.” They wish Erik’s other two boys, Josh and Matt, could join in the fun, but since they live in San Marcos it is not possible.

Erik promises this year will be the scariest year yet. “I’m working on the lighting,” he said. “Kelly had things too bright, so I’m going to fix that, make things even spookier.” While her favorite costume is Elvira, Kelly has donned such get-ups as a witch and vampire. “I have a ton of
costumes. I’ve been a safari guide, a fairy, a mermaid, a ’50s-diner waitress and a Hollywood starlet. I love it because I’m 49 and I still get to play dress up,” she said. This year, she and Erik are planning on making their frightening debut as a dead bride and groom. “He’s such a good sport,” Kelly said proudly.

Kelly’s four children, Jay, Sarah, Savannah and Rebekah have all inherited their mother’s love of the spooky holiday. Kelly plans to pass down more than just her festive spirit. “I’m betting my kids will be fighting over all my Halloween stuff when I’m gone,” she laughed. Jay, who lives across the street, has also begun decorating his home, but he really enjoys coming over to help in his mother’s fun.

“One year, he convinced me to move out some of my furniture and decorate inside,” Kelly recalled. That year, trick-or-treaters trekked through the front rooms past decor such as a butcher shop, an autopsy man and a couple eating eyeballs. “I still can’t believe he talked me into doing that,” she added. “We do everything outside now.”

For a while, Kelly was concerned not only about how her neighbors, but also her church friends would view her Halloween fun. “We’re good church-going, God-fearing people, and I was a little nervous about what people would think,” she confessed. “But now, seeing how the little kids and even their parents are having such a blast — it’s worth it.”

Texas fall weather has been perfect the past few years for Kelly’s haunted house, and she is counting on this year being no different. “It’s so much fun because it involves the whole family,” she said. “I love watching the families park down the street and all walk together toward the house. Sometimes, the grown-ups get just as scared as the children!”

— Written by Jaime Ruark