Callie Jo Bouldin Law (aka Mrs. Callie Brumlow) passed away at her residence in The Buckingham in Houston, Texas on May 1, 2007. At her request, she was interred at her birthplace in Pendleton, Texas with a private service attended by her immediate and extended family. She is survived by four children: sons Dr. Sam W. Law II, Richard M. Law, Sherman B. Law, all of Houston, and one daughter, Callie Roxanne Law Ferguson and one precious granddaughter, Briana Nicole Ferguson, both of London, England. In addition she is survived by sister Jerry Guyer of Rockport, Texas and brother Jack Bouldin of Waco, Texas. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Sam W. Law, parents Everett Ethren and Ella Sullins Bouldin, and brother Everett E. Bouldin Jr. Callie was born in her home on a large rented cotton farm in Pendleton. Texas on September 25, 1934. She was the "baby" of the family of four siblings. She was originally known as "Sweet Juicy" for her first two months, until her parents agreed on her birth name of Callie Jo, a combination of her grandmother and grandfather's given names, Callie and Joe Bouldin - hence the Callie Jo that so many came to know and love. Callie graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in English and Education and earned her teaching certificate in 1955. She was President of the Women's Fraternal Council, a member of the Homecoming Queen's Court, and honored as one of ten outstanding seniors. Callie excelled as a student and carried that tradition into her teaching career which began in February 1960 at Jesse H. Jones High School in Houston, where, after three years, she was named Chairman of the Department of English. During her time as Chairman, she re-designed the department and established the role of Chairman as something other than administrative. Her proudest accomplishment was creating a teaching workshop for the English faculty designed to improve their abilities in the teaching of written composition. In 1967, the English Department of Jones High School was commended by the National Council of Teachers of English for excellence. Concurrently, she participated in many district workshops and contributed to the writing and revising of curriculum materials for the Houston Independent School District. After leaving Jones, she taught one semester at Westbury High School before retiring in 1969 to marry her beloved husband, Dr. Sam W. Law, a prominent Houston Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon. During their time together, she created a beautiful home for her family and devoted herself to her husband and children. It was during this time that she began to develop her love of travel, which she pursued vigorously later in life. Due to her husband's untimely death in 1975, their time together was brief by normal standards, but their love for each other and family was so profound that it was quite evident to all who knew them. After the loss of the love of her life, Callie resumed teaching in 1976 at The Kinkaid School in Houston, where she remained in the Upper School English Department until her "second" retirement in 2001. In addition to her classroom work, she was involved with admissions and participated in the advisory group system. She was very active with KOCI, the Kinkaid community service organization and spent many Saturdays accompanying students to charitable support groups across the city. She served on the Governing Council of Faculty Representatives, The Faculty Book Club, numerous committees, and wrote hundreds of college letters of recommendation for her students. She loved attending sporting and fine arts events at Kinkaid and always supported the students in all of their endeavors. She was devoted to her students and colleagues and was widely respected for her work which enriched the minds and lives of literally thousands of young men and women over the course of her career. Upon retirement, she continued her personal quest for intellectual fulfillment and pursued this passion as a world traveler and student of other cultures. She loved to visit far away places and spent hours planning each trip in order to maximize her ability to explore and discover. The knowledge gathered was then shared with all who desired. In the same way she impacted her students, those who knew her believed she had the same effect on the people she met on these journeys. During her life, Callie helped care for countless friends and neighbors, particularly during her time as a resident of the Lamar Towers, which she always considered her true home. Anyone who spent any time with Callie was a better person for the experience, whether it involved the spoken or written word, sense of style, or appreciation of all things cultural or intellectual. She was just as at home at a "beer joint" as at a societal opening. With Callie, you always knew where she stood, and she would accord you the same privilege. She always had a plan, and if you wanted to change it, you had better have a superior one, a rare occurrence for sure. She was the captain of her ship with the wind at her back and always charted the waters she would sail. Most will miss Callie very much. Those that won't would not be of great concern to her. Callie was a "teller of like it is." Some of the things she said more than once include: Never trust anyone who takes very long to get to the bottom line. Beware of anyone that has no enemies. If I'm paying, I'm saying. Apology is the poorest choice for a way to be sure you get the last word. Callie loved her family and friends with all of her heart and this world is a lesser place with her passing. The family requests that those who choose to give remembrances can honor her memory with gifts to the Sam W. Law M.D. Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine in College Station, Texas or the Parkinson's Foundation of Houston. In addition, an Endowment Fund will be established in her name at The Kinkaid School, with details to be provided at a future date.
Published in the Houston Chronicle on 5/9/2007.