Lou Wallace Childress Criswell was born in Graham, on Oct. 14, 1926, to John B. and Nevada Duncan Childress. She entered into the glory of our Lord and Savior on Nov. 6, having voted in her final election a few weeks earlier.

Services are Nov. 21, at 11:30 a.m. at DFW National Cemetery where she will be buried with husband Walt. Visitation will be Monday, Nov. 19 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Lucas Funeral Home, Hurst.

She graduated from Graham High School and then from Oklahoma College for Women with a Bachelor’s of Music.

She met Walter Criswell in Roswell, New Mexico, where she taught music and he was stationed with the Air Force. They were members of a Sunday school class that brought together numerous couples for marriage.

They were married at First Methodist Church in Graham on June 14, 1949. They established their first home in Lampasas where their first child John Walter was born and then moved to Killeen as housing became available closer to Grey Air Force Base. Two more children were born: Donald Allen (1952) and Carol Louise (1954). They received orders for transfer to Chateroux, France when Carol was six weeks old. Returning to Dyess AFB at Abilene, their fourth child Ann Elizabeth was born in 1958. When Walter retired in 1960, the family moved to Western Colorado.

After running a family peach farm outside of Palisade, Colo. for three years, the family returned to Abilene. This was home for many years, and all were active members of St. Paul Methodist Church.

Lou was a talented musician and began playing the piano at church when she was in junior high. She continued her service in music at base chapels or the local church, accompanying, leading choirs, and singing soprano in church choirs as well as serving as MYF counselor.

She taught music in the public schools. She then earned her M.Ed. in 1967 from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and became a counselor. After serving as counselor in Callahan County Schools for 10 years she worked as a job counselor with the West Texas Council of Governments.

In 1978 Lou and Walter moved to Germany where Lou was the counselor for Department of Defense Heidelberg Middle Schools. They delighted in hosting family who came to visit. In 1980 they returned stateside to welcome their first grandchild.

In 1981 Lou and Walter moved home to Graham where Walter built their home next to the home where Lou grew up. Lou returned to the classroom and taught at Crestview Elementary in various capacities until she retired.

Lou traveled extensively, visiting all 50 states and many countries in Europe.

She delighted in her family, hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings for many years. She is survived by her two daughters: Carol Turner and husband Gary of Fort Worth, and Ann Criswell of Graham, four grandchildren: Tamara Speer and husband David of Lubbock, Allen Turner of Abilene, Mary Bukowski and husband Tim of Bedford, and Sam Weatherby of San Angelo; and five great-grandchildren: Jackson, Turner and Priscilla Speer, Evelyn Bukowski, and Lukas Weatherby.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Frances Childress, husband Walter, and two sons John and Don. Memorials may be sent to the Samaritan Fund or the Frances Childress Scholarship Fund at First United Methodist Church, 700 3rd St., Graham, TX 76450.