Susan Hamilton Wallis

Susan Hamilton Wallis, 97, of Cuero passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, July 13, 2023. Shewas born July 24, 1925 in Cuero to the late Thornton Graham and Mary Sue Graves Hamilton.

Susan grew up in Cuero and became interested in tennis at an early age. She and Joy Nall won the tennis doubles championship in junior high.

She attended Cuero High School where she was elected most popular student. She represented Cuero as a Duchess in the Battle of Flowers parade in San Antonio. She later attended the University of Texas at Austin and joined Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. She completed two years of graduate school and became the tennis coach at Austin High School.

Susan moved back to Cuero where she married the love of her life, Jack Traylor Wallis in 1954. Soon afterward, she overcame polio and eventually became strong enough to play tennis once again. She continued to teach private tennis lessons and coached two students to the state championships.

Jack and Susan started a family in 1955. With the urging of friends she ran and was elected as the first female to serve on the Cuero ISD school board, where she served for over fifteen years. She resigned from the school board to teach tennis at the high school and junior high in Cuero until they could find a permanent coach. During her tenure there, she taught tennis to her daughter, Sue, and her future daughter-inlaw, Debbie. Susan and Jack were active cattle ranchers and loved to travel to Breckenridge, CO where they taught their kids to snow ski. They later travelled the world with family and friends and enjoyed going to the Majestic Theater in San Antonio.

Susan and Jack lived their whole adult lives in Cuero, continuing a family legacy of farming and ranching.

Susan was always very generous and was especially supportive of the Cuero Community Hospital where she established the Hamilton- Wallis Chapel, and Grace Episcopal Church where she served on the vestry of the church. Susan was proud of the family ranching legacy and was very supportive of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum.

She enjoyed supporting Cuero and looked forward to “Christmas in the Park” each year.

She was a University of Texas sports fanatic and avid Cuero Gobbler supporter.

Susan was preceded in death by her parents, G. Graham Hamilton and Mary Sue Graves Hamilton of Cuero, her brother, Graves Graham “Buzz” Hamilton and her husband, Jack Traylor Wallis.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Mary Ellen Hamilton of Cuero; son, Dr. Jack Wesley Wallis (Deborah Lambert) of San Marcos; daughters, Sheryl Wallis Winslow (Ted) of Cuero and Sue Wallis- Lang (Lorrie) of San Jose, CA; her cat, Sugar; grandchildren, James W. Wallis (Jennifer) of Houston and their children, Carter, Brynn and Brooke Wallis, Jennifer Wallis Dickson (Matthew) of Houston and their children Parker, Bradley and Hailey Dickson, Tiffany Wallis (Max Bethke) of New Braunfels and her children, Adelie and Presley Gibson and Katherine Winslow Barclay (Daniel) of League City and their children, Emma and Anabelle Barclay.

Her daughter, Sue Wallis-Lang and Lorrie have two children, Kendahl Wallis-Lang of San Diego, CA and Ethan Wallis-Lang of Denver, CO.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Lena Jasso, Hospice of South Texas and to numerous caregivers over the years.

Visitation will be held Sunday, July 16, 2023, 4:00-6:00 PM at Freund Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be Monday, July 17, 2023, 10:00 AM at Grace Episcopal Church with Rev. Peter Thaddeus officiating.

Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery. Pallbearers include Chris Buesing, Bert Belisch, James Wallis, Matt Dickson, Daniel Barclay and Michael Warzecha.

Honorary Pallbearers include Dutton Lane, Tommy Hamilton, Richard Carbonara, Michael Thamm, Bill Blackwell and Robert Oliver.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Grace Episcopal Church or Hospice of South Texas.

You may sign the guestbook or send condolences at www.freundfuneralhome. com.

Freund Funeral Home, 361.275.2343.