Lucia Rede Madrid

1989 Inductee
Education

Lucia Rede Madrid, a retired Redford schoolteacher, created a library in an isolated border town along the Rio Grande River, ensuring educational opportunities for the children of her community where learning and literacy are constant struggles. Squeezed among the work shirts and canned goods of her family’s store, children shared Lucia Madrid’s library of 10,000 books.

The sixth of eight children, she earned her bachelor of arts and master of education degrees at Sul Ross State University in Alpine. Later she contributed to the education of her brothers and sisters. Seven of the eight Rede children became teachers.

After working in Marfa and Redford Schools for 23 years, Mrs. Madrid retired in 1976. In 1979 she started her private lending library. Over the years, her library gained national attention, and is now a library and museum. On the wall of her library/store is Lucia’s Library Hall of Fame, which features pictures of engineers, doctors, teachers and accountants. They are all Redford children who have gone on to live successful lives.