Elizabeth (Piper) Colquitt

Elizabeth Piper Colquitt, 97, died peacefully May 4, 2020 at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas from complications resulting from surgery for a broken hip. She has now gone to be home with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A visitation will be held at the Alpine Memorial Funeral Home on Sul Ross Blvd in Alpine, TX on Friday, May 8th from 6:30 PM until 8:00 PM. A graveside service will be held at the Marfa, Texas cemetery on Saturday, May 9th at 11:00 AM. A reception will be held after the gravesite service at the home of Hester Ann White located at 713 North Plateau in Marfa. Service will be performed by Rev. Matt Miles, pastor of Fort Davis, First Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Colquitt was born in Corsicana, Texas on April 6, 1923 to Leslie Derwent Piper and Lena Belle Ard Piper. She lived in Corsicana until she was five and then the family moved to San Angelo, Texas in 1928. She grew up in San Angelo and graduated from San Angelo High School in 1940. She attended business school at Angelo State and worked at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo during WW II. On November 2, 1946 she married James Kellam (J. K.) Colquitt in San Angelo. After their marriage they lived in Ozona, Texas until 1954 (except for a brief time back in San Angelo in 1949). During her time in Ozona, she took up the game of golf and made many lifelong friends. They had two sons, Kellam and Jay. In 1954 the family moved to Odessa, Texas where their two sons started school. She was a devoted mother and wife and took an early interest in their son’s education. In 1956 the family moved to Rankin, Texas. For the next 10 years Mrs. Colquitt was an active Cub Scout Den Mother, PTA volunteer, Beta-Sigma-Phi member, football, baseball, track and all-around school supporter and super mom to her sons. She even delivered their afternoon paper route so they could attend sports practices. She never missed a football or baseball game. Every summer involved vacations to Colorado or New Mexico and every fall was devoted to Rankin Red Devil football.

In 1966 the family moved to Crane, Texas when Mr. Colquitt purchased a Gulf Service station. Mrs. Colquitt was very much a partner in the running of this “filling station” and could often be found at the “station” helping in any way she could. In Crane Mrs. Colquitt made many friends and was active in the community and church. She and a group of close friends regularly celebrated birthdays and usually did so with shopping trips to Odessa. Jay finished high school in Crane and then went on to a successful career in the international oil and gas business. Kellam attended Texas A&M University and became a petroleum geologist. Mrs. Colquitt loved A&M football, but she especially loved watching the Aggie Band. Every Thanksgiving was spent either in College Station or Austin watching the Aggies play the University of Texas. She really didn’t care who won, she just wanted to see the band. She often said that those years of attending games at A&M were some of her fondest memories. She also loved living in Rankin and in Crane. She and Mr. Colquitt attended A&M games in College Station for many years after Kellam graduated and in fact attended her last game at the age of 87.

When Mr. Colquitt retired, they moved to the Rio Conch Manor in San Angelo. In 1990 she and Mr. Colquitt took a European vacation to visit Jay and his family in Germany and then on to Italy and France to revisit some of the places Mr. Colquitt had been during WW II. It was the trip of a lifetime for both. The love of her life died in 2006 and for the 10 years prior, she had been a faithful care giver and devoted wife to Mr. Colquitt. She stayed in San Angelo until 2010 but then moved to Dallas to be closer to family.

She was preceded in death by her parents and by her husband of 60 years. She is survived by two sons, Kellam and wife Emily of Dallas TX, Jay and wife Constance of Lake Buchanan, TX; three grandsons, Jim and wife Buffi of Marietta, GA, Jason of Allen, TX, Douglas and wife Mariam of Dallas, TX; two granddaughters, Juliana Colquitt Harbig and husband Bjorn of Cypress, TX and Tanja Colquitt of Meppen, Germany; one nephew, Milton Ketchum and wife Patti of Moro, OR; five great-grandchildren; Taylor Colquitt, Kinsey Colquitt, and Bodie Colquitt of Marietta, GA; Leila Colquitt and Cameron Colquitt of Dallas, TX.

From 2010 until her death she lived in Dallas and Rockwall Texas and was healthy enough to spend significant time with her sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She dearly loved her family as only a grandmother can do and was adored by all who came in her presence. She was truly a sweet old lady. She was much loved by all her family and “Gran” will be greatly missed.

While in Rankin and Crane, Mrs. Colquitt was an active member of the First United Methodist Church. After moving to San Angelo, she was an active member of the First Christian Church. She also was a 50-year attendee of the Bloys Camp Meeting in far west Texas.

In lieu of flowers please make a memorial contribution to the Texas A&M Band in her honor.