Madeline L. Short

Madeline Lee Short “finished her course with joy” on May 17, 2021 surrounded by loved ones and was laid to rest in Memory Park Cemetery, Victoria, Texas near her beloved parents.  Madeline was born Gay Madeline to Grady and Madie Sandford Lee in Shreveport, Louisiana on February 7, 1939.  She was the youngest of three children. The family moved to Victoria and opened the Lee Baking Company, Holsum Bread. She graduated from Patti Welder High School and married Tommy Short of Llano Texas in 1957. Her one desire was to be a mother and a homemaker. 

 In December of 1961, she found the doctrine of salvation by grace which her heart had been searching for and joined Valley Spring Primitive Baptist Church, and was baptized by Elder Jesse Bass.  For the next fifty years she was a staunch defender of the church and it’s doctrine as a “hardshell” Baptist. She was an active member of the Phoenix Primitive Baptist Church during their time in Arizona.  

Madeline’s life was devoted to caring for others, her children and most recently her grandchildren (her joy).  She became an in-home care-taker during the early 1980’s before pursuing a career as a real estate agent in Tucson.  She was an avid reader and even dabbled in writing a novel.  She  joined the Arizona Romance Writers Association, and served as their President for a time. She relocated to Texas in the late 1990’s and has been a resident of Temple, Texas for the last twenty years, enjoying the company of her beloved sister, Nita McLean, and fellowship as a member of the New Providence Primitive Baptist Church. 

   Madeline loved to travel, especially when it involved her grandchildren, Madeline Zerinque, Morgan Jean, Christopher Salyer,  Kyle Short and Rachel Lee Salyer, who are forever blessed to have had her as their “Nana Lee”.   She adored her nine great-grandchildren, Sofia, Cadence, Zoe, Reece, River, Cooper, Loretta, Cayson and coming soon: Camden Ryan. She was a fierce competitor and loved a challenge. 

Left to cherish her loving memory are her children, Tammy York-Stephens and son-in-law, Michael of Tucson, Arizona, 

Tara Lee Salyer and son-in-law Reggie, of Orange Grove, Texas and Theron Short and daughter-in-law, Stacey, of Sacramento, California. She will be greatly missed by all those who remain, her sister, Juanita McLean of Temple, Texas and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, step-grand and great-grandchildren. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband of twenty-five years and her adored brother, Don Allen Lee, formerly of Uvalde, Texas. 

A celebration of her life memorial service will be held at the New Providence Primitive Baptist Church in Maysfield, near Cameron, Texas following regular services on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Those who would like to make a donation in her honor, can do so to New Providence Primitive Baptist Church, Gene Ford, Treasurer, 1474 FM 979 Cameron, Texas 76520 or the charity of your heart.