The Jeffrey Family: Emlyn, Penelope, and Madelyn Jeffrey: July 4, 2025

Editor’s Note: In the absence of formal obituaries for the Jeffrey family, The Kerr County Lead has compiled this obituary based on extensive research from multiple news sources, family statements, and community tributes to honor their memory and preserve their legacy.

It is with profound sadness that we announce the tragic loss of three generations of the Jeffrey family – Emlyn Jeffrey, 70, Penelope “Penny” Jeffrey, 70, and their beloved 11-year-old granddaughter Madelyn “Emmy” Jeffrey – who died together in the devastating floods that swept through the Texas Hill Country in the early morning hours of July 4, 2025. The San Antonio family was swept away when their cabin at Casa Bonita along the Guadalupe River was completely destroyed by the rising floodwaters.

A Family United by Love and Service

The Jeffrey family embodied the values of love, service, and community that defined their lives. Emlyn and Penny were described by all who knew them as “pillars of their community” who “loved their girls fiercely and were the most loyal friends.” Their commitment to helping others, particularly the most vulnerable children in their community, became their shared life’s work and legacy.

Young Emmy, known to family as “Emmy” and to friends as “Maddy,” was spending precious time with her grandparents when tragedy struck. Her mother, Alicia Jeffrey Baker, lovingly described her daughter as “a firecracker filled with love and passion” who was “living her best life when she was called home.”

Emlyn Jeffrey: A Life of Professional Excellence and Service

Emlyn Jeffrey was a distinguished professional who dedicated his career to telecommunications and community service. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, he retired in 2022 after more than two decades with AT&T, where he had built a reputation for excellence and integrity. Before joining AT&T (formerly SBC Communications), Emlyn worked in sales and marketing for several oil, gas, and medical companies, bringing his expertise and dedication to each role.

However, it was Emlyn’s volunteer work that truly defined his character. He began volunteering with Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) in 2004, where he became a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected foster children. His commitment to these vulnerable children was extraordinary – he often took on multiple cases at a time and was regularly requested by attorneys who recognized his exceptional skill and dedication.

Yolanda Valenzuela, a CASA contractor who coordinated Emlyn’s work, shared a story that perfectly captured his heart for service: A former foster child, years after his case had closed, invited Emlyn to his high school graduation. “He was the only person who showed up,” Valenzuela said. “That’s the kind of people they were. They built relationships that lasted.”

The children Emlyn served continued to contact him years after their cases were closed, testament to the lasting impact he made in their lives. CASA would rely on Emlyn and Penny to handle their most challenging cases, knowing their support would be more than enough to help children navigate traumatic events.

Penelope “Penny” Jeffrey: A Heart for Community and Sisterhood

Penelope “Penny” Jeffrey was a beloved figure in the San Antonio community, known for her warmth, generosity, and lifelong commitment to service. She was a cherished member of the Kappa Delta sorority’s San Antonio alumnae chapter, where members said they would “always cherish our time with and memories of sister Penny.”

Penny joined Emlyn in his CASA volunteer work a few years after he began, and together they became a formidable team for children in need. Like her husband, she was specifically requested by attorneys who knew that the children in their care would receive exceptional advocacy and support.

The couple’s approach to their CASA work was deeply personal and professional. They were so skilled and trusted that they were often assigned the organization’s most difficult and media-sensitive cases, knowing they would provide the stability and expertise needed to help children through their most vulnerable moments.

Penny’s commitment to community extended beyond her volunteer work. She was known for her loyalty as a friend, her devotion as a mother and grandmother, and her generous spirit that touched everyone who knew her.

Madelyn “Emmy” Jeffrey: A Bright Light with Limitless Potential

Eleven-year-old Madelyn Jeffrey was a student at Bulverde Creek Elementary School in the North East Independent School District, where she brought joy and energy to her classroom community. Her mother, Alicia Jeffrey Baker, who teaches at Tuscany Heights Elementary School, raised Emmy with the same values of education and service that defined the Jeffrey family.

Emmy was described by her family as “deeply loved, the first grandchild, the shining light of her family, and a role model to the younger cousins who looked up to her.” Her vibrant personality earned her the nickname “firecracker” from those who loved her – a testament to her spirited nature and zest for life.

The bond between Emmy and her grandparents was particularly special. She loved spending time at their cabin in Casa Bonita, where she could enjoy the peaceful setting along the Guadalupe River and create cherished memories with Emlyn and Penny.

Her family took comfort in knowing that Emmy was “living her best life” during her final days with her grandparents, experiencing the love and joy that had always characterized her relationships with them.

The Final Weekend: A Family Tradition Turned Tragic

The Jeffrey family had traveled to their cabin at Casa Bonita for what should have been a peaceful holiday weekend. The cabin, located along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, had been a place of refuge and family gathering for the family over the years.

In the early morning hours of July 4, the Guadalupe River rose over 22 feet in just three hours – an unprecedented and catastrophic event. When sunrise came over the Casa Bonita neighborhood, the cabin where the Jeffrey family had gone to sleep the night before was completely gone, swept away by the powerful floodwaters.

Emmy’s mother, Alicia, reflected on the tragedy with both heartbreak and faith: “We know my dad fought with everything he had to keep his girls safe.” This sentiment captured the character of Emlyn Jeffrey – a man who had spent his life protecting and advocating for children, undoubtedly fighting to the very end to protect his wife and granddaughter.

A Community United in Grief

The loss of the Jeffrey family sent ripples of grief throughout multiple communities in San Antonio and beyond. The North East Independent School District, where Emmy was a student and Alicia teaches, expressed their condolences: “Our thoughts are with the entire family during this unimaginable time.”

Child Advocates San Antonio mourned the loss of two of their most dedicated volunteers, posting on social media: “Their years of dedicated service changed countless lives, and their impact will never be forgotten. Our love is with their family during this incredibly difficult time.”

The Kappa Delta sorority’s San Antonio alumnae chapter honored Penny’s memory, while the broader San Antonio community recognized the significant loss of two people who had given so much of themselves to help others.

The Recovery and Final Journey Home

Emlyn and Penelope Jeffrey’s remains were recovered by Monday following the flood, according to social media posts from their daughter, Christin Jeffrey Jones. The family endured several more agonizing days before learning on Thursday that Madelyn had been recovered and identified.

“We are at a loss for words to describe this grief,” Jones wrote, “but continue to hold out hope that we hear news of Emmy soon.” When that hope was finally answered with Emmy’s recovery, it brought both closure and renewed sorrow for the family.

Legacy of Service and Love

The Jeffrey family’s legacy lives on through the countless lives they touched during their years of service. The children Emlyn and Penny advocated for through CASA, the students and colleagues who knew Alicia as a dedicated educator, and the young life Emmy was just beginning to build – all represent the continuing impact of their love and dedication.

A GoFundMe page established for the couple’s three daughters raised over $21,000, demonstrating the widespread love and respect the family had earned throughout their community. The funds help support Christin Jeffrey Jones, Alicia Jeffrey Baker, and their third daughter as they navigate life without their beloved parents and, in Alicia’s case, without her precious daughter.

Survivors and Continuing Legacy

Emlyn and Penny Jeffrey are survived by their three daughters, who carry forward the values of service, love, and community that defined their parents’ lives. Alicia Jeffrey Baker continues her work as an educator while grieving the loss of both her parents and her daughter. The surviving family members have been surrounded by an outpouring of love and support from their community.

The children who were served by Emlyn and Penny through CASA represent perhaps their most important legacy – young lives that were touched, guided, and improved through their advocacy and care. Many of these children, now adults, continue to carry the impact of the Jeffrey’s dedication forward in their own lives.

In Their Memory

The Jeffrey family’s story is one of three generations united by love, service, and dedication to making the world better for others. Emlyn’s professional excellence and volunteer advocacy, Penny’s community leadership and generous heart, and Emmy’s bright potential and loving spirit represent the best of what it means to live with purpose and compassion.

Their cabin at Casa Bonita was more than just a vacation retreat – it was a place where three generations could come together, where love was shared, and where memories were made. Though their time there was cut tragically short, the love that brought them together and the values they shared continue to inspire all who knew them.

As their daughter Christin wrote: “We are overwhelmed by the constant love and support that has enveloped us during this time. We feel it. We need it.” This outpouring of community love reflects the same generous spirit that Emlyn, Penny, and Emmy brought to their own relationships and service to others.

The Jeffrey family will be remembered not for how their story ended, but for how they lived – with purpose, with service to others, and with an unshakeable commitment to love, family, and community. In their memory, the work they began continues, the children they served carry their impact forward, and the love they shared reminds us all of what truly matters in life.

Emlyn Jeffrey, Penelope “Penny” Jeffrey, and Madelyn “Emmy” Jeffrey – three generations united in love, united in service, and united forever in the hearts of those who knew them.