Norma Gene Barnwell Waugh, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, died Jan. 2, 2015, just in time to miss the worst of cedar season but not before visiting with dear friends and family.

Gene was born Oct. 7, 1920 in Johnson City, Texas in the small country hospital owned and operated by her parents, Dr. James Franklin Barnwell and Alma Irene Lewis. Her mother was a nurse from Austin's Brackenridge Hospital sent to help Dr. Barnwell during the 1918 flu epidemic and eventually becoming his wife.

The home, which still stands across the street from the Blanco County courthouse, received a Texas Historical marker three days before Gene's 94th birthday.

Living next door to the Record Courier, the weekly Johnson City newspaper, Gene got an early start on her journalism career by insisting on helping set type by hand. After junior high school, she transferred to Austin High School where she worked on the Austin High Maroon until she graduated in 1938. After a year in Temple Junior College, she transferred to The University of Texas and worked on The Daily Texan until she graduated with a BJ degree in 1942.

Gene said one of her most important events at UT was joining Theta Sigma Phi, now known nationally as the Association for Women in Communications which has evolved as Women Communicators of Austin. In April 2014 the organization created the Gene Barnwell Waugh Mentor Award in honor of the many young women she took under her wing during her career and into her retirement. She served in many positions for both the Austin and San Antonio chapters.

Her professional career began when she and former UT classmate Irma Hansen became the first two women in the San Antonio Evening News city room. As cub reporters they were the brunt of many jokes. She became head of the photography department before moving to the Los Angeles Times then to the Hillman, Shane, Bryer Advertising Agency.

Gene returned to Johnson City in 1946 to help care for her ill mother. She moved back to Austin in 1949 to edit the Plumbing Association magazine and the Texas Public Employee publication.

She was Woman's Club Editor of the San Antonio Express and News from 1957 to 1963 when she again returned to Austin back to the Texas Public Employees Association as assistant editor.

From 1969 until November 1985, she edited the EOD Weekly Newsletter and served as chief of planning and information for that division of state government. The division began as the Office of Economic Opportunity in Governor Preston Smith's office, later becoming a division of the Department of Community Affairs when it was established as an independent agency.

In addition to her communications career, Gene was a rancher, beginning at the age of 14 when her father died in 1934 and she inherited a small ranch outside Johnson City on the Pedernales River. She was still managing it in her last days even though she had to keep records of the cows by number because of lost eyesight.

A partial list of professional and personal honors include:

? Gene Barnwell Waugh Mentor Award named in her honor by Women Communicators of Austin, 2014
? Woman of the Week by the San Antonio Express
? Society of Industrial Editor's National General Improvement Award for the Texas Public Employee, 1950
? Who's Who of American Women, 1975-76 and 1977-78.
? Personalities of the South 1976.
? First Lifetime Member of the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies
? Lifetime Member of the Blanco County Historical Commission
? Texas Public Employees Association Pioneer Chapter board, 1976-77.
? Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans in recognition of past achievements and outstanding service to community and state 1975-76 and 1976-77, Editorial Board of American Biographical Institute a division of Historical Preservation of America

Gene joined the First United Methodist Church in Johnson City at age 16. She joined the Lutheran Church in 1955 when she married Howard J. Waugh, Sr. Her volunteer service included many years handling publicity for St. Martin's Lutheran Church's Religious Fine Arts Festival in Austin.

Gene was preceded in death by her beloved husband Howard; parents James and Irene Lewis Barnwell; sister Eloise Barnwell Harden and husband Lonnie; brother Milton M. Barnwell and wife Bess Jacobs Barnwell; niece Nicolette Hardin Farris and husband Dallas.

Survivors include son Howard Waugh, Jr.; granddaughters Elizabeth Waugh and Tia Waugh Kelley; great-grandchildren Aspen and Easton Kelley. Also, great-nephews Jimmie Farris and son James; and Johnnie Farris, and wife Cathy and their, daughter Courtney.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Martin's Lutheran Church, 606 W. 15th, Austin, Texas 78701; Women Communicators of Austin Jo Caldwell Meyer Scholarship Fund, http://wcaustin.org/member-resources/scholarships/; or a charity of your choice.

Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7 and services are 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8 at Crofts - Crow Funeral Home, 305 E. Elm St., Johnson City, Texas