TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
The Honorable Evelyn Palfrey McKee has lived a life marked by bold moves, resilience, and heart. From her beginnings in Texarkana to a vibrant retirement as a proud grandmother in Oklahoma, McKee’s life reflects courage, perseverance, faith, and a readiness to seize new opportunities. Born in Arkansas at Dr. Jamison’s hospital—the birthplace of most Black babies in the area at the time—McKee spent much of her life in Texas, holding dear the memories of her childhood in Texarkana. One of her fondest recollections involves time spent fishing with her family at Lake Texarkana (now Wright Patman Lake). “Daddy had a boat, and we sometimes stayed overnight on the lake, my sister and I in pajamas,” she reminisces. The lake became a haven, offering cherished outings with school and church groups when city parks were off-limits to Black families. Those days on the water became priceless treasures, the kind that shape a lifetime. The beautiful Piney Woods of Northeast Texas hold a dear place in McKee’s heart. So much so that she embraced a tradition of planting a pine tree at each home she owned. Although the soil in Austin did not always cooperate, the ritual symbolized the act of staying connected to her roots and putting them down was a part of making each house a home throughout her journey.
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COMMUNITY & CULTURE
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