The life of a dedicated descendent of the designer of the Texas flag is being remembered in Montgomery County.
Pat Spackey, 82, of The Woodlands, died over the weekend. She was the great-great-great granddaughter of Charles B. Stewart, a pharmacist, doctor and political leader in the Republic of Texas. The early resident of Montgomery is also credited with designing Texas’ flag.
Spackey, also known as “The Texas Flag Lady” and “picture lady,” gave presentations across Montgomery County and the state on her famous ancestor.
“I lost my wonderful, green-eyed beauty last night,” her husband, Ted, posted on Spackey’s Facebook page Saturday. “We believe she had a heart attack and didn’t suffer. She is in the arms of Jesus and has never been happier than she is now.”
A service will take place at The Church at Alden Bridge in The Woodlands. A time and date has not been announced.
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State recognition for the flag
In a previous Courier story, Spackey said when she was growing up and hearing stories about Stewart, there wasn’t much emphasis on his relation to the flag.
Her second cousin, Virginia Lindley Ford, had trunks and trunks of documentation about Stewart, calling her the family historian.
A group with representatives from the Heritage Museum of Montgomery and other historians led the effort with state Rep. Bob Rabuck, R-Conroe, who represented Conroe and Montgomery at the time.
The resolution was signed by Speaker of the House Pete Laney on May 30, 1997 recognizing Montgomery County as the birthplace of the Texas flag.
Preserving Stewart’s legacy
Spackey graduated in 1960 from MacArthur High School in San Antonio. She worked for Prestonwood Baptist Church in the Dallas area.
After her retirement in 2006, she and Ted moved to Montgomery County and she became passionate about preserving her famous ancestor’s legacy.
The Montgomery Historical Society, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Daughters of the American Revolution were just a few of the lineage groups she was involved in.
She was also a supporter of Republican women groups and patriotic events where she could be found with her camera capturing each event.
“On a personal level, I can truly say that I never heard her say an unkind word,” wrote her friend and fellow Republican women member Alice Lantier Melançon in tribute on Spackey’s Facebook page. “She was always smiling and ready to capture that perfect photo with her camera that was always at her side.”
For one of their recent fundraisers she and Ted dressed up like Fox News reporters with cameras ready.
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Stewart’s impact today
Today Spackey’s ancestor is celebrated for his legacy in Texas history across the county.
A replica of his office is in the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County and a statue of him is installed at Cedar Brake Park in Montgomery in the “Pioneers of Montgomery” monument.
The West Branch of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System is named after him and a bronze bust of him resides in The Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park.
Spackey helped unveil the statue and the bust of her ancestor and was present for the opening of monument and flag park in 2011.
“I’m very, very excited that Montgomery County wouldn’t give up and didn’t take no for an answer,” Spackey said in a 2016 Courier article regarding the birthplace of the Texas Flag designation. “It’s just been a treasure for our family.”
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