Original owner, Suzy Lindeman Snyder, shares photos and memories with current owner, Laurie Humphreys.
While every event hosted by the Lindemans (and later by Suzy and Bryan Snyder, whom Suzy married after Jim passed away) made people smile, one that Humphreys has carried on is the ice-cream social. According to Humphreys, it was practically inevitable that she revive the tradition, which some of the neighbors still remember. “It’s one of the things my neighbors on the block told me about when I moved in,” says Humphreys, a Waco native who returned to Texas from Pennsylvania after more than 20 years away. “Like Suzy, I love the idea of making sure everybody knows each other — just taking time to visit outside for a while,” she says. “I think it’s so important.” Since moving into the house in 2014, Humphreys has hosted several ice-cream socials in her front yard, bringing in Amy’s Ice Creams trucks for an updated twist on the original. As Lindeman Snyder tells it, the near-legendary ice-cream socials started when her son Jim had a paper route. “Since Jimmy was out delivering pa-
pers anyway, it seemed the easiest way to spread the word was to just have him deliver invitations to everyone on the paper route. Back then,” she adds, “everybody took the paper. So that’s how we did it, and anyone who wanted to come was always welcome. The parents came, the children came — just about everyone in the neighborhood or anyone who was walking nearby!” Not surprisingly, it was an event held at the house that brought original and current owner together. Unbeknownst to Humphreys, one of the attendees at a board meeting she hosted in her home is a friend of Lindeman Snyder’s youngest daughter, Anne Wheat. Wheat tells the story of how all the pieces came together: “My friend, who happens to be an architectural historian, was telling me about a beautiful house he’d been to and how it was a wonderful example of mid-century modern architecture. As he described the details, tears came to my eyes when I realized he was talking about the house I grew up in.”
Since the connection was made, Lindeman Snyder and Humphreys have developed a friendship and discovered even further common bonds. Last month, Humphreys hosted a luncheon for Lindeman Snyder. Among the guests were Lindeman Snyder’s daughters and former Balcones Park neighbors, many of whom also live at Westminster Manor. “I love having Suzy come over and tell me stories about what the neighborhood was like when they first built this house,” Humphreys says. “I hope I have half the energy she does when I’m her age!” Today, the neighborhood is one of Austin’s most beautiful, the mature trees that were young saplings when the Lindemans built their home now shading the winding streets and graceful lawns. As far as the ice-cream socials go, there’s no plan to stop anytime soon. Says Lindeman Snyder, “I really believe the world would be a better place if we had more ice-cream socials.” Laurie Humphreys couldn’t agree more. tribeza.com
| OCTOBER 2018
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