WRIGHT, ELEANOR CUSTIS (1924 ~ 2023). The following is an obituary for Eleanor Custis Wright, spouse of Charles Alan Wright, American constitutional lawyer and University of Texas professor. The obituary was published in the January 23, 2023 edition of the Austin American Statesman.

Eleanor Custis Wright died peacefully at her home in Austin TX on January 21, 2023 surrounded by family. She was 98 years old.

Custis, as she was known, was born on November 5, 1924 in Baltimore MD to Dr. Edwin Nash Broyles and Eleanor Custis Whiteley Broyles. She attended The Calvert School, Bryn Mawr School, Miss Hall's, and graduated from Vassar College in 1946.

Custis lived in Minneapolis MN with her first husband, Angus W. Clarke Jr. That was where, after divorce, she met Charles Alan Wright. Charlie moved to Austin in 1955 when he accepted a teaching offer from the University of Texas Law School, and he and Custis married later that year. They were married for 45 years until Charlie's death in 2000. This "Lady Baltimore" became a proud adopted Texan, and embraced all things Austin.

After moving to Austin at the age of 31, Custis learned to play golf at the Austin Country Club (ACC) from the acclaimed Harvey Penick. This started a passion for golf that lasted until she played for the last time just shy of 97 years old. She played in many tournaments both in Texas and around the country, was on the Trans National Board as well as on the USGA Women's Mid-Am Committee. She was ACC Club Champion in 1980 (Senior Champion that year as well) and runner up in the Austin City Championship. She was President of the ACC Women's Golf Association, as well as of the Austin City Women's Golf Association. Custis had seven holes-in-one. She shot her age for the first time at 79 and numerous times thereafter. She was named "Sportsman of the Year" at the Austin Country Club in 2013 (the first woman to be named to that), and was delighted that the WGA created the "Custis Cup" to be played annually at her birthday.

In addition to her many golf volunteer positions, Custis served as art curator and archivist of UT's Tarlton Law Library, on the Texas Council of the Humanities, on the Advisory Council of the Harry Ransom Center, the Texas Historical Records Advisory Board, and helped organize Ann Richards' papers. At 88, she was selected to participate in Northwestern University's Super Ager Study, and took cognitive and physical tests ever since. Her brain has been donated to the study. When widowed 22 years ago, she joined a weekly poker game. She loved books as well as art, and read at least a book a week for many years, sometimes in French, Russian, or Italian. Custis enjoyed her membership in two book clubs, and participating in a knitting circle for the last few years, after decades of making crafts of all sorts, including jewelry, hats, needlepoint, and clothing.

A major part of Custis's life was supporting Charlie in his many professional and extracurricular activities, including extensive travel. She accompanied him on every business trip (except when he was in Washington working on Watergate, as she was very opposed to Nixon). Several times her husband accepted visiting teacher positions at law schools around the country, and she packed up the family of seven to make the move. She particularly enjoyed Charlie's teaching stints in England, first at Canterbury and then a number of times at Cambridge, where she was a member of the Cambridge Ramblers, served as Assistant to the Librarian at the Old Library in Queen's College, and golfed on many of Britain's famous courses. After Charlie's death, Custis continued to travel extensively with UT's Flying Longhorns as well as with other friends and her children and grandchildren.

Custis Wright was predeceased by her oldest child, Angus Warner Clarke III, her brother, Edwin Nash Broyles, Jr., her sister Henrietta Frances Hemingway, and her husband Charles Alan Wright. She is survived, loved, and missed by her children Eleanor Custis Clarke and son-in-law Alan Kempner Davis of Berkeley CA, Charles Edward Wright and daughter-in-law Antonina Hansell Macdonald of Modjeska Canyon CA, Margot Clarke, Henrietta Wright and son-in-law Edward Benjamin Stead, and Cecily Wright, all of Austin TX, as well as grandchildren Ruth Taylor Macdonald Wright, Sean Charles Fitzsimons, Helen Haywood Macdonald Wright, Declan Thomas Fitzsimons, Emma Custis Davis, and Sierra Wright Stead, Jonathan Edward Stead, James Kenneth Stead and Meredith Catherine Stead, and great-grandchildren Charles Vincent Wright, Walter Jay Wright, Eloise Alexandra Stead, Snowden McKetta Stead, Opal Josephine Stead, and Olson McKetta Stead.

A memorial celebration will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, or the charity of your choice.