Ben Cox, BrownwoodNews.com – BrownwoodNews.com would like to offer a tip of our cap to a selection of ladies in town that have make a positive impact on the lives of those around them. Whether by profession, or pastime, these ladies contribute a rich part to the fabric of Brownwood, and we feel they deserve to have their time in the spot light. We present to you, The Leading Ladies of Brownwood. This week’s leading lady is Meghan Mask.

 

I sat down with Meghan and asked her our list of questions that each Leading Lady will be asked, with a few off the cuff questions specifically for her, and here are her responses.

What is your current profession/What do you do?

For nine and a half years, I’ve been the sales representative for Wendlee Broadcasting.

What clubs or organizations are you a member of locally?

I am in the (Brownwood) Kiwanis Club, I’m on the Lehnis Railroad Museum Board, I’m on the Brownwood Chamber Board as well as an Ambassador for the Chamber, the tourism board, a member of St Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church. I’m a Eucharistic minister there as well as a Lector.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Eunice, Louisiana, and I grew up in Mowata, Louisiana. (Spelled just like it sounds, Mow-wata. We couldn’t name it Mobeer.) Grew up in both Mowata and Eunice. I lived in Mowata, which is a community. We don’t even have a zipcode. There’s the Catholic Church, the priest’s recorty, the cemetery, the Mowata store and a little ballfields, all right there. And then it’s full of crawfish and rice farmers. Eunice is a town of about 13 to 14 thousand people and that’s where I grew up.

Are your parents still around?

My mom still lives in Eunice, and will hopefully be here in a few years. And my dad lives outside of Goldthwaite.

What are some of your fondest memories of childhood?

Oh gosh, I have a lot. Louisiana is a great place to be from. I grew up on a farm, so I could go anywhere. I’d get on my little three wheeler and go all over to my cousins. We have a huge family. And I lived around most of my cousins on my dads side. So I’d go and I’d climb in the combine with them as they were cutting rice or soybeans. Or I would go in the boats with them as they were catching crawfish and help them do that. My cousin, who we called Uncle Chipsey, he was my grandfathers first cousin, was a world renown taxidermist, so I’d go an play at his shop! I’d do the marble eyes (acts like she’s holding fake eyes up to her head)and walking around. Eunice was a very small town kinda like Brownwood, but I could go to a friends house on a weekend and we’d ride bikes from one end of town tot he other end of town and back and forth. All day long. I would never let my kids do that NOW! Everyone knew who I was, whether I was in the good part of town art the bad part of town. Everyone knew me. They knew what I drove, I was the person everyone knew. And it’s just fun to be from there.

When did you make it to Texas?

By the grace of GOD!

Which time? After high school I went to Tarleton for a year and I made the deans list. But not the deans list that you’re proud of! I had a lot of fun in college! Tarleton was a great place. Went there knowing not a soul, left knowing half the campus. I went back home and went to massage school, and then worked for a couple years for physical therapists and stuff like that. Then my dad moved to Sonora and bought a ranch, and it was just him. He bought a HUGE ranch that needed a lot of work and he was one person. So, I felt bad for him, so I left my job and moved to Sonora to help my dad. I was there for about a year and Rhonda May called me up, they had Cedar Furniture and More out of Coleman and they worked on the road doing all the major stock shows and stuff and needed some help. I went to Ft Worth to help with the stock show and rodeo. I then got on with Western Expressions which is a main dealer of Roper and went on the road with them for almost a year. Went back to Louisiana, and then permanently moved here almost thirteen years ago. I moved July 23, 2005.

Who left a lasting impression upon you that still is with you today?

Everyone. Everyone leaves an impression on me.

What’s one of the big ones?

There was a secretary at St Edmond High School, the school I graduated from. This was after graduation. It was a really hard time for me, I lost my cousin. (Kate) and I were very very close and I was just kinda going through the motions. She asked me what was important in my life, and I said well making money, and da dada dada. She said “until God is important to you, your life is going to be chaotic.” That I wouldn’t have structure unless God was number 1 on that list, not making money. It took me several years, but I’ve always remembered that, what Ms. Tracy told me.

There were several, there was Father Spire my childhood priest from the parish that my mom grew up with. My mother is a huge influence on me. My brother, actually. After many years in college, he is a tax attorney in Atlanta, Georgia working for his dream company, Deloitte. And, just, seeing him do it almost on his own. I wasn’t the best big sister in the world, but watching his accomplishments is pretty awesome.

Who else… Rex (Tackett). He gives me life advice everyday that I need. I don’t think I could have stayed at Wendlee without him. I learned so much, about sales, about life, about people by watching and listening to him.

It’s more than just one, like I said. Everyone leaves an impression on me.

What do you hope your legacy will be?

My kids. I’m teaching them to be little gentlemen, as it should be. I’m teaching them about our Catholic faith, about God, and how we wanna trust everybody but we can’t. To hold the door open for ladies and the elderly. To say yes ma’am and no ma’am, be respectful. Be somebody. Don’t just be there, be somebody.

What is 1 lesson that you would like your to students to take with them into adulthood?

Ya can’t trust everybody.

But most people are kind.

Why is that lesson important?

With how things are today, and heck, even when I was growing up, you see so much negativity. I hate being around negativity, I’ve gotta get out of it.

I am friends with people that would have you asking “Why”? It’s because they’re kind. Some people don’t see it. Some people don’t see kindness in someone who may be very negative. It’s just little things, everyone has some sort of kindness about them, you just have to be that person to bring it out.

How has living in Brownwood shaped your life?

I am from Louisiana, from Eunice and Mowata. And I have felt more at home here since the day I moved here than I have anywhere else. Being an outsider, they say Brownwood is clique-y, that if you’re not from here you won’t belong, you won’t be accepted. But, I have nothing but great things.

I worked at the country club when I first got here. Some of the people that you wouldn’t think would (care) were some of the best, nicest, kindest people in the world and have helped me shape how I treat other people. Don’t judge a book!

Brownwood comes together like nothing I’ve every seen. From losing an officer, losing someone in the war, losing a legend like Putter Jarvis, to someone who lost their house in a fire, or someone whose kid got sick. It’s beautiful how this town comes together.

If you could speak to yourself as a High School freshman, what would you say to yourself?

(after long thought)

I would probably say, the roughest road ahead of you is coming up. Keep your head out of the clouds and look for the good in people.

But I don’t think I would change anything. Losing Kate 18 years ago in July, I may not have been here (if that hadn’t happened). I may have stayed in Louisiana, I may not have met Ryan, or had my boys.

(Pause)

I don’t think I would tell myself anything.

I wouldn’t be who I am without all the tragedy. And all the good times.

And also, don’t do the drugs! (laughs!)

What is one goal for yourself/family that you haven’t achieved yet?

To make it to the next day. 

I didn’t think I’d live past 21! So, everyday I wake up is a blessing. It is a pure gift. I didn’t think I’d make my mid-twenties, especially my thirties. To see 40? I never thought I’d get this far!

Just live. Learn more about God, watch my boys. Have my boys become gentlemen.

How do you feel you have impacted Brownwood?

I don’t.

People know who I am, I’m THAT cajun girl who says things very weird. According to Rex, English is not my first language!

Humor.

What is one thing you’d like to see for the future of Brownwood?

I think Brownwood is going in the direction it needs to go. When I got here there was nothing for kids to do, now we have SO much for kids to do. I hope when my kids go off, they’ll wanna come here to raise their family. Brownwood has its issues like every other single town in America. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start.

What makes you proud to live in Brownwood?

Everything. It’s cliche’, it really is, but it REALLY feels like home.

What does it mean to you to be considered one of the “Leading Ladies of Brownwood?”

I’m still shocked. Compared to the ladies that you’ve had, I don’t hold a candle. And I know hundreds more that should be up here. But I am highly honored. And a little embarrassed! (laughs)