BIOGRAPHY

Jewel McCullough was born on 23 January 1909, in the Piney Woods of Jasper County, Texas, at her grandfather Alexander Gilmer’s mill town of Remlig. She spent her early years in Beaumont before moving to New York City with her mother at the age of six. Jewel often fondly recalled her childhood in New York, where she took taxis to school, enjoyed tea outings with her mother at Schrafft’s, and attended the Ziegfeld Follies to watch performances by W.C. Fields and Will Rogers.

After graduating from the Spence School in Manhattan, Jewel left New York during the Great Depression in 1929 and settled in Houston. There, she married John Temple McCullough in 1938. While her husband worked at Baker and Botts, Jewel immersed herself in her daughters’ education at St. John’s School and was actively involved in the Junior League of Houston and the Houston Country Club.

Although she never pursued a formal college degree, Jewel was deeply passionate about learning and the arts. She studied poetry at the University of Houston and later honed her skills in photography and watercolor painting at the Glassell School of Art. She also mastered the crafts of bookbinding, paper marbling, and papermaking, becoming highly skilled in these artistic endeavors.

In 1975, Jewel discovered a summer retreat in Boulder, Colorado, where she spent her summers with her daughters and grandchildren until her late 90s. She attributed her longevity to chocolate, white wine, and excellent healthcare.

McCullough passed away in Houston, Texas, USA, on 3 October 2019, at the age of 110 years, 253 days. She was survived by her daughters, Judith M. Reilly and Nelda M. Hirsh; her four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* Jewel McCullough Obituary – Legacy

GALLERY