June 25

June 25, 2007

Cailloux Remembered as Generous Kerrville Philanthropist

By Bonnie Arnold

KERRVILLE—Generosity was the word most frequently mentioned by area residents in remembering Kathleen C. Cailloux (Kathy) last week. Kathleen C. Cailloux , 92, passed away June 16, 2 007, in Kerrville after a long battle with chronic dementia. Her family called her a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother.

After retiring to Kerrville in 1982, Kathleen with her husband, Floyd co-founded the Floyd A. and Kathleen C. Cailloux Foundation in 1994. The Foundation remains today and is managed by the Cailloux family for the benefit of non-profits in Kerrville and the surrounding Hill Country area.

Her name remains on the Kathleen C. Cailloux Center for the Performing Arts downtown, two buildings on the Schreiner University campus, the Charter School at the Hill Country Youth Ranch, and the Humane Society of Kerrville, among others.

“I did not know her personally but in working with the family and the foundation, I can say they have a history of generosity. We do not have a standing endowment, but we have never been turned down for grants,” said Jeff Cunningham, artistic director of Playhouse 2000 and facilities manager for the Cailloux Center. “She was just a bright star. I regret not meeting her and we definitely have a legacy to live up to.”

Cunningham said the current performances of “Guys and Dolls” have been dedicated to her memory. He said while the theater is first and foremost a war memorial, it also is a tribute to her and her family.

“The board, staff, faculty and students all extend their condolences and prayers to the family,” said Jean Bondy, development officer at Our Lady of the Hills Regional Catholic High School. “For her philanthropy and support in the community, we are all blessed and grateful, especially here, to be recipients of her generosity at the school.”

Bondy said the Cailloux Foundation gave OLH two challenge grants over the past two years, which inspired their donors, in turn, to give more generously.

“Almost all of the funding for the property and construction of the new shelter came from the Cailloux Foundation. If it were not for them, we wouldn’t have our wonderful facility,” said Penny Bowman, president of the Humane Society board. “Her love was Dobermans and we have one on our sign out front. The family and their foundation have made a huge difference in Kerrville and they’ve been a very generous family. They’ve been a godsend to Kerrville.”

“Mrs. Cailloux was a very gracious, lovely woman who was so generous, and she used her wealth to help the really needy whether they were little children or infirm adults or abused teenagers or even animals,” said Lynda Ables, a family friend. “We took her to see the theater and she was delighted. She laughed at the portrait of herself in the board room there. She loved music and loved the arts. We’re very fortunate that she wanted to do all she could to help the Hill Country.”

The Foundation’s mission is to perpetuate the vision of the Cailloux’s through the betterment of individual lives. The Foundation awarded grants and scholarships in 2006 totaling approximately $2.8 million to a variety of nonprofit organizations. Some were matching grants.

Those organizations included Any Baby Can, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, Hill Country Arts Foundation, Hill Country CASA, the Livestock Show, Youth Orchestra, Museum of Western Art, Our Lady of the Hills High School, Texas Heritage Music Foundation and others.

The Foundation gave 16 college scholarships to 2007 seniors from the Hill Country for up to $12,000 per recipient annually for undergraduate study. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years.

Through this philanthropic legacy, she and her husband will always be remembered as extremely benevolent, caring individuals, the family said.

In addition to the Kerrville area, their many statewide charitable interests included: Gladney Center for Adoption in Fort Worth; Scottish Rite Children's Hospital, Dallas; The University of Texas-Austin; the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Shriners Hospitals in Houston and Galveston.

She was predeceased by her parents, Mary and Paul Cox, her son, Patrick Cailloux and her husband, Floyd A. Cailloux.

Born in Monroe City, Missouri on November 27, 1914, she was raised in Oklahoma City and graduated from Classen High School in 1933. After attending college, she became a model in Oklahoma City and later in New York City.

She moved to Houston with her family in the late 1930's and there became reacquainted with an old high school friend, Floyd Cailloux. They were married in 1942 and remained devoted to each other until his death in 1997.

Floyd Cailloux was co-founder of Keystone International and was instrumental in the company becoming an international leader in the manufacturing and marketing of industrial butterfly valves for general industry. The company was sold to Tyco International shortly after his death.

The couple was major stockholders in KII that had 4,500 employees and plants and sales offices around the world.n