McALLEN — Giving, caring and humble are the words often used by Gilbert Stroud to describe his mother, Lula Eugene Stroud, who left a loving impression on everyone she met. He recalled how Lula, who her family affectionately referred to as “Gene,” exhibited a friendly nature toward people, describing her manners as lovely and as delicate as “a southern belle,” just without the riches, he laughed.
These sentiments now not only exist in the hearts and minds of her family, but are also forever embedded in a plaque that was unveiled in her honor in McAllen on Saturday.
“My mother — she had a great love for people. It didn’t matter the color of anyone’s skin, it didn’t matter what profession they had, she just loved people,” Gilbert said, adding that in a few minutes his mother could become best friends with a stranger. “She had a great curiosity about people and she accepted people for who they were.”
Gilbert praised his mother’s positive outlook on life, a life that as a Black woman wasn’t always kind to her. He remembered his mother telling him stories of her childhood and growing up in a time when segregation limited her education to certain schools.
A beloved figure in the Rio Grande Valley, Lula was recognized at an event honoring her life Saturday afternoon at the historic Bethel Garden, located at 1322 S. 16th St. in McAllen, where family, friends and city officials gathered to pay tribute to the woman who they said transcended the struggles she endured.
She died July 20 at the age of 91, and although she left behind a grieving family who adored her, it was evident Saturday that her impact on her loved ones and the city will keep her legacy alive.
Her love, patience and history, but also her contributions in education to the region as a reading specialist for more than 14 years at Sam Houston Elementary in McAllen were among the many highlights at Saturday’s event.
One of Lula’s children then unveiled the plaque, which stands prominently near the planters inside Bethel Garden, where family members referred to as paradise.
McAllen City Commissioner Victor “Seby” Haddad, who was present for the ceremony, expressed affection for Lula.
“She represents the heart and soul of everything that was put into this site. The remembrance of our history, their aspects of the family and the cultural history that belongs to this site,” Haddad said of the ties connecting Lula with Bethel Garden. “Everything is enveloped in someone like Mrs. Stroud.”
Other emotional moments included Lula’s grandson pointing to a seed and saying enthusiastically, “That’s my grandma.” Those in attendance were encouraged to plant these seeds in Lula’s memory, Haddad among them.
Lula grew up in the San Juan area and attended segregated schools, and went on to graduate from Booker T. Washington School in 1951.
Gilbert recalled finding an old textbook of hers that had names of people he did not recognize written inside. His mother explained to him that their textbooks were handed down to them from the white schools, and were not the newest versions.
He did say that his mother mentioned how Valley residents were accepting and kind, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t struggle.
Those struggles like everywhere there were segregated communities included not being able to eat in most restaurants, so she had to dine in the kitchen — that’s if Lula could afford it.
Although times were tough, Gilbert explained she never held a grudge and instead used her experiences to teach others the value of grace.
Becoming an educator herself, she worked for 14 and a half years as a reading specialist at Sam Houston Elementary and made frequent visits to local schools like the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo district to share her experiences about segregation.
Lula also worked for almost 38 years for the United States Postal Service, and helped organize a permanent exhibit of the Booker T. Washington School at the McAllen Heritage Center, where she spoke at its opening in 2014.
She remained a significant figure in her community and was even awarded the key to the city of McAllen on June 19, 2019, during the city’s inaugural Juneteenth Observance & Memorial Celebration at Bethel Garden.
As her family and friends stood in Bethel Garden Saturday they reminisced about her kindness and importance to the community. Gilbert recalled her love for sending birthday cards, Christmas cards and even thank you cards for any small gesture.
He remembered her always being patient with everyone even after having eight kids of her own. In fact, 58-year-old Gilbert can only remember his mother being angry twice in his life.
“I remember those two times because those were the only two times I actually saw my mother angry,” he said light-heartedly, adding that even in her anger she never raised her voice.
A LITTLE ABOUT LULA
After she graduated from school in 1951, Lula married her childhood sweetheart, Dave A. Stroud, who served in the U.S. Air Force.
The two moved to Lubbock, then Amarillo before returning to McAllen in 1964 where they raised their eight children together.
Their children are Tony Vance Stroud, Thelma Yolanda Flowers, Laeneria Lynette Ardoin, Arlillian Yvette Moore, Gilbert Roland Stroud and Charleton Byron Stroud.
She moved to San Antonio at one point but returned to the Valley in recent years.
The two not only parented eight children before their deaths but also had nine great-grandchildren, one of whom, Eshe’ Castillo, was among the family members present at Lula’s ceremony Saturday planting seeds in her great-grandmother’s honor.
