IDA HARBISON LUTTRELL

04/18/1934 - 01/21/2024

Ida Harbison Luttrell passed away peacefully on January 21, 2024 at 89 years old. She was born April 18, 1934 in Laredo, Texas to Helen Sewell Harbison and Pelton Bruce Harbison. She grew up on a cattle ranch in the brush country south of Hebbronville, Texas with four sisters and a brother. Her family raised cattle and ran a dairy for many years. After graduating from Hebbronville High School, she used money earned in 4H to move to Austin and attend the University of Texas. She received a BA in Bacteriology and graduated in 1955.

She moved to Houston, Texas not long after and worked in the lab at Texas Children’s Hospital. During that time she met William S. “Bill” Luttrell, and soon after they married on January 20, 1959. They had four children and were together 54 years. Along the way she made many lifelong friends from her Hebbronville days, Austin days, her early Houston “roommate” days before family life, and with her writer groups.

Once her children were older, Ida began a new career as a children’s book author. She began sharing her work with her writer friends who encouraged her to try publishing her stories. Her first book, “Not like that, Armadillo”, was published in 1982. She went on to publish 11 more children’s books and also “The Road to Randado”, a family history of her father, the former Texas Ranger “Pell” Harbison. The books won multiple awards, were published in several languages, and even adapted to the stage.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her siblings Hazel Roehr, Georgia Harlan, Reginald Harbison, Alice Hempel, and Carrie

Lee Anderson. She was also preceded in death by her husband Bill Luttrell. She is survived by her children Robert (Courtney) Luttrell of Dallas, Anne (David) Pope of Leander, Bill (Lisa) Luttrell of Gilmer and Richard Luttrell of Austin. She was a proud grandmother of nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the following charitable organizations:

The literacy group Education Connection https://www.education-connection.org

The Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org