Kay Lyn Davenport

Born in Lubbock, Texas to college sweethearts Lucille and Arch King, Kay was a shy, quiet girl in curls who idolized her big brother Don Arch King. She spent hours with her award-winning doll collection, created and hosted carnivals with her best friend to entertain the younger neighborhood children, and became a talented violinist who played with the Lubbock Symphony while still in high school.

Graduating from high school a year early, Kay left Lubbock in her brother’s two-seater airplane for the big city of Austin and the University of Texas. Kay delighted in her new “cosmopolitan” life surrounded by men and women of different backgrounds, faiths, cultures, languages, and ideas. Her courageous determination and independent streak, hidden behind her mild demeanor, grew to sustain Kay and her family for decades to come. Her husband would later lovingly refer to this inner strength as her “whim of steel!”

At age 18, a reluctant participant on a blind date, Kay met a bright, funny, brash, romantic young man named Everard Davenport. Kay and Everard both later confessed they were afraid to go on a second date because they knew life would never be the same. Less than 2 years later, Kay and Everard were married on January 22, 1965. They took a short detour to Mathis, TX where Everard taught middle school English, then the couple returned to Austin and spent the next 58 years walking, traveling, learning, loving, and laughing – always laughing – side by side.

Kay re-enrolled in UT and graduated with a BBA while also working to support the family and put Everard through UT Law School. She then put her career on hold and followed her heart to care for her expanding family. Kay and Everard had three children, Cynthia Lyn (1969), Thais Anne (1971) and Everard Lee (Lee) (1975). She sewed dance costumes, made Barbie clothes, taught her children to read, led the girls’ Camp Fire group, served as room parent, taught Sunday School, and attended every kickball game, ballet recital and soccer match her children could find. She became an avid drum corps fan when Lee discovered his drumming talents and attended every football game from Lee’s junior high through his graduation as a section leader in the University of Texas Longhorn Marching Band. Somehow, she managed to overlook her children’s imperfections and thoroughly cherished being a mother, and later a grandmother, to six beautiful grandchildren.

Kay loved puzzles, quilting, knitting, spreadsheets, family games, an afternoon Dr. Pepper, and the “Infamous” Bridge Club which sustained her with laughter, tears, advice, and companionship for more than 50 years. Kay also found tremendous joy in helping her beloved brother Don in his final years.

Above all, Kay loved to journey through life with Everard. They made breakfast together, made decisions together, and traveled the world together. Their partnership became a joint adventure that took them to 30 countries on 6 continents, as well as each one of America’s 50 states. Kay captured all these memories as treasures in the over 60 scrapbooks she made.

Kay earned lifetime teacher certification in business for both Texas and Oklahoma and was the epitome of the detail-oriented, organized executive assistant. Kay won acclaim and multiple awards from organizations like the Texas Parent Teacher Association. In her retirement, she joyfully volunteered many years with Highland Park and Wooldridge Elementary Schools, at the Seton Hospital gift shop, and with the Foundation for the Homeless. Kay served as an Elder at both Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX and St. Barnabas Presbyterian Church in Richardson, TX. She also served several terms as a Deacon at Covenant Presbyterian in Austin. Even after being told that her cancer could no longer be treated, Kay chose to spend some of her final days visiting members of her Deacon care group.

Kay died peacefully at home, immersed in the love of her family near and far. It is fitting that she left just following the summer solstice, when the sun shines brightly for the longest day of the year.

She is survived by her husband Everard C. Davenport, her daughter, Cynthia Davenport-Herbst (Tim) of San Angelo, TX, her daughter Thais Kilday (Doug) of Austin, TX, and her son Lee Davenport (Jill) of Washington, DC. Also, grandchildren Alyssa Davenport-Herbst of Roanoke, VA, Josh and Sam Davenport-Herbst of San Angelo, TX, and Naeda, Lincoln and David Kilday of Austin, TX. Kay is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3003 Northland Drive, Austin, Texas 78757, with a reception following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be sent to Covenant Presbyterian Foundation, Hospice Austin or the Food Relief Program of St. Paul Presbyterian Church, San Angelo, TX.

https://www.hospiceaustin.org/get-involved/donate/

https://onrealm.org/Covenant/-/form/give/now

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/stpaulsa