Orleane McCarley Megason met her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, July 28, 2023. We are comforted and thankful that she has reunited with family and friends.

She was born Audrey Orleane McCarley in Dallas, Texas on January 12, 1932 to Dr. Eather Elbert McCarley and Wilburta Hedgcoxe McCarley. She began playing the piano at age 4. She and her older sister, Maxine, learned to sight-read music at a very early age when their father would receive the latest copy of the Stamps Christian music books, "Favorite Songs and Hymns." He and their mother loved to sing as their daughters played the piano. Orleane became a Christian early in her life, attending First Baptist Church in Beeville until 1980. She always prayed to be "in the center of God's will."

When Orleane was five years old, her family moved to Beeville Texas, where her parents opened an optical and jewelry store. Orleane continued to study music. As a freshman in high school, she played the French horn and carried the flag for the marching band. She began accompanying the high school choir, solos and ensembles for band and choir, and, encouraged by her band director, began playing the organ at the Methodist Church. She and her sister spent their summers in Dallas visiting aunts and uncles. The girls would board a city bus, which took them across town to study piano at the Stamps piano and music school. There they heard fine pianists improvise as they played hymns. These lessons greatly influenced her lovely style of playing. She graduated from A.C. Jones high school in Beeville in 1949.

In the fall Orleane joined Maxine at Baylor University, where they both majored in Music. She was a member of Mu Phi Alpha, music sorority. The summer after her freshman year when she returned home, she met Jack Elton Megason, a World War II veteran and Texas A & M graduate. They married June 16, 1951.

Early in their marriage Orleane worked as a bookkeeper for Hunt Auto and South Texas Children's Home. She played the piano and organ for First Baptist Church of Beeville for over 20 years. She also directed and accompanied the Junior Choir.

Orleane was a member and President of Beeville Mothers' Club, a member and President of Beeville Music Club, a member of WMU (Women's Missionary Union,) and Community Concerts, which brought many nationally and internationally known artists to the Beeville stage in the 1960's.

Orleane taught 6th grade music and returned to college for further study. She was a perfectionist when it came to her music. In addition to being church organist, in the early to mid 1970's she owned a children's shop called Youngland. The next twenty years she served as organist at First Presbyterian Church in Beeville. She accompanied the youth choir, the handbell choir, and directed a woodwind and brass ensemble.

She moved to New Braunfels in 2002 and became the organist at First United Methodist Church. She was substitute pianist for Bible Study Fellowship in McAllen and was guest pianist at Trinity Baptist in McAllen. She continued to play for weddings and funerals into her late 80's. She said that her gift and service to God was to lead people in a closer relationship with Him and to facilitate their worship of Him through music.

Orleane and Jack welcomed three children into the world, Abbie Maxine, Cindy Ann, and Timothy Scott. Cindy passed away when she was only three days old. Tim and Abbie remember their mom as being the favorite mom on their block. She was always there for all their activities and made sure they knew how to sing and read music and knew Jesus as Lord and Savior. She loved every minute spent with her grandchildren and attended almost every event important to them. She shared her passions of music, gardening, cooking, etiquette, and love of Jesus with them.

Orleane was a wonderful cook and baker, and she collected many family recipes, a favorite being Caramel Pie. She enjoyed comic strips and laughing. She loved gardening and designing her yards. She won Yard of the Month in Beeville on many occasions. She enjoyed sewing late at night after the family had gone to bed. The patterns she chose were beautiful and often complicated Vogue patterns. She was such a lady and wonderful role model. She was always the perfect hostess and enjoyed having friends for teas and showers. She was generous with others, deeply loved her family, and treasured her friends. She was beloved by many and will be greatly missed.

Orleane is preceded by her parents, sister, and baby daughter. She is survived by her children, Abbie (Ford Sasser III) and Tim, and grandchildren Amanda Lauren and Emily Sasser, and Miranda McCarley and Timothy Mitchell Megason, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank her caregivers, her personal doctors, the nurses and staff at Christus Home Health, and the doctors, nurses and staff at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital. Also, we are thankful for all of her neighbors, her Sunday School class, her circle, family and friends who have been so kind, supportive, prayerful, and generous. May God richly bless each of you. May you all know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to C.A.M.P. University, P.O. Box 2294, McAllen, Texas 78572.

The service for Orleane McCarley Megason will be held on Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of New Braunfels, followed by a reception with the family in the Fellowship Hall.

Graveside service will be on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Restland, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas.