Whether building yurts, supporting historic Alpine buildings, or skiing, she never slowed down
Betty Ruth Gibson Gaddis Yndo, age 96, of Alpine, Texas, passed peaceably, surrounded by family, in Austin, Texas.
She is survived by seven children and stepchildren, eleven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a million admirers
She came from Stanton, Texas, went to Baylor University, and at the state convention in Galveston became the first president of the newly formed Texas Nursing Students Association, only the fifth such program in the nation at that time. After graduation, she established the initial health programs for six rural schools in and around Martin County. She met her husband, Dr. Don Gaddis, while helping to provide aid when an awning in downtown Stanton collapsed during the viewing of a parade. This encounter led to a long marriage and a move to Fort Davis, Texas, where they built the first hospital. Later establishing a medical clinic in Alpine, she fell in love with the community, hiked every mountain she could get permission to (and probably a few others), and became very active in local affairs.
When Dr. Gaddis died, in her own words, she decided to “never retire, just to change hats about every 10 years.”
Moving to Austin, she was instrumental in TAO Design, building highly unusual, very sculptural free-formed foam and concrete homes. A craftsman from Maine collaborated with her to self-build a collection of varied modern wood-framed and insulated interpretations of Mongolian yurts, nestled close under different trees in the woods west of Austin. Yurt City! It was a small family and friends Texas progressive redneck version commune of carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, and architects.
Her heart remained in West Texas. She moved back and started a construction company called Gaddis Builders Incorporated, building beautiful cedar houses in Alpine and various locations around Texas. She also rolled the dice and bought an old, abandoned, but good bones, tire warehouse on the main street in the middle of Alpine Texas. Securing an SBA loan, she worked night and day for over a year to create a beautiful mall of curved plastered walls, arches, and tiled shops owned by, and for, women––La Placita. Unusual in Alpine at the time. She was proudest that the project helped three new local companies in plumbing, electrical, and construction continue to get off the ground. As the building has evolved, it is now the Sunshine House and provides a variety of vital community services to seniors and to Alpine.
When interest rates made the construction industry unreliable in the early ‘80s, she decided to put on a different hat, move to Breckenridge, Colorado, and learn to cross-country ski, just for the halibut. Great restaurants.
Then, she fell in love with, and married the dashing Lt. Col. Michael Yndo, USAF, moving to Texas’s first Historical District, King William, in San Antonio. In between adventures and travelling together, and unable to sit still, she formed King William Realty, enjoying getting to know many of the unusual people and interesting houses there. She spent three years on the King William Historic District Board of Directors and three years as the critical money-making annual Home Tour chairman. As she says, “I ride my bike nearly every day in the area where I work and get a slower bird’s eye view and awareness of conditions and activities and do a lot of visiting along the way.”
She could not ignore her love for Alpine though. For her, this took the form of promoting renovations and repairs along historic Murphy Street, Alpine’s first downtown. There, she found a row of modest but romantic and architecturally significant buildings and encouraged the brave, creative people who have made them quite special. It is her favorite place in all of the world.
“I am not a mover or shaker, but a grassroots person,” she said. “I hope to be aware, receptive and doing my part for homes, neighborhoods and the city.”
A memorial celebration and dance will be coming at a time yet to be determined in Alpine. Details will be announced.
As per her long request, her tombstone shall read:
“Betty Ruth Gibson Gaddis Yndo, You can leave a message but I’m not here.”