Margaret Cannon Boyce Brown

She was honored and appointed by the Governor of Texas for a sixyear term on the Texas Commission on the Arts and served as a founding member and National Advisory Board member for the National Museum of Women in the Arts Museum in Washington, D.C. Of all her achievements, the revival of the Waco Cotton Palace remained one of her greatest joys. While the first Cotton palace ended at the time of the Great Depression, Margaret envisioned a beautiful revival pageant retracing Waco’s history to serve as a legacy for future generations. Undaunted by those who thought her idea was an impossible dream, she and a group of her friends spent two years researching and planning how to execute it. Then one evening she announced to her husband Spencer, “We are going to put on a pageant!” Waco inaugurated the first Waco Cotton Palace Pageant in 1970. Little did Margaret realize the full impact this dream would have on the Waco community. Celebrating its 50th year in 2020, the Waco Cotton Palace pageant continued to be fresh and interesting through talented leadership and innovative performances. From the outstanding Baylor and McLennan County Community College theater students to Waco elementary students, local talent and participants from Waco and from all over Texas, all involved enjoyed a unique experience of history and Waco hospitality. As a result of the pageant, outstanding college student performers received college scholarships and countless Waco businesses enjoyed the benefit of millions of tourism dollars over the years. Most of all, the pageant allowed the opportunity for hundreds of Wacoans to work together, create life- long friendships and to impact their community for the better. Though her accomplishments, recognitions, awards and service to her community, state and nation, are too many to record here, Margaret Brown’s love and kindness remains her greatest legacy. She always greeted others with a warm twinkle in her eyes and a benevolent smile. Her genuine interest in people and amazing ability to remember names left a lasting effect on all those she encountered. She cherished her family and extended family and desired for her children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren, her many cousins and extended family to stay close and love each other always. Margaret’s positive attitude, encouraging words and wise counsel, her ability to see the best in others, find a blessing in each day and, her ability to have a grateful heart no matter the circumstances are all truly reflections of the remarkable woman everyone loved. It is often said that the eyes are a reflection of the soul and Margaret’s radiant soul sparkled. Margaret’s love of life, family, friends and community has been a blessing to us all. “But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret Owen Curtis Boyce and John Kirkpatrick Boyce; her husband, Shepherd Spencer Neville Brown, Sr.; her daughter, Maria Neville Brown II; her granddaughter, Willow Brown; her brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, Stanton and Jackie Decordova Brown; and her brother and sister-in law, John Kirkpatrick and Sidney Stinnett Boyce, Jr. She is survived by her brother, James Curtis Boyce, and sister-in-law Anne Dryden Boyce; as well as her four children and their spouses, Spencer and Becky Matustik Brown, Margaret Brown and Keet Lewis, Stanton Brown and the Reverend David Sattler, S. Boyce and Len Mcclane Brown; Margaret is also survived by her grandchildren, Scott and Alicia Lombardo Stem, Camilla Brown and Nick Custis, Elise Brown, Spencer Brown, Ill, Cannon Lewis and Gavin McClintock, Caroline Lewis and Chris Abbott, Mariah Sattler, Karlie Sattler, Lella Sue (Susie) Brown and Annah S. Brown; as well as seven great-grandchildren. The family suggests those attending may want to celebrate Margaret’s life and home going by wearing colorful clothes, the kind Margaret always loved. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages gifts to: Festival on the Brazos (formerly Waco Cotton Palace Pageant), c/o Missy Larson, P. 0. Box 7211, Waco, TX, 76714 Sulgrave Manorhttps://www.sulgravemanor.us/donate/ St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School

- c/o M’Lissa Howan, 517 Columbus Ave, Waco, TX, 76701 *Barcus, N. (1994, April) Discover Magazine, Page 28.