Meg Garland, Texas ad rose and artist, has joined the ad agency in the sky

Sad news for everyone on adlist as we have seen Meg as a dear friend for over two decades.

As well for me personally, when I was let down by so many in real life, Meg who was an online friend would reach out regularly and text me to check on how I was doing and to lend advice and support, which speaks volumes about her. She had similar experiences in her life and wanted to reassure me that we can and will survive these things. Meg fought a lot in her life, cancer, men, and being a graphic designer business-woman when few women were. She was also active in Leadership Texas, Leadership America, American Issues Forum, District Lions Cabinet, and Trustee for Texas Tech Parents Association because she had so much to give.

Meg passed away surrounded by family on June 28, 2021.

Meg (Mary Elizabeth) Garland was born September 19, 1946, to Robert Neal and Mary Jewell (Saul) Garland in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Meg graduated in 1968 with Honors with a Bachelor of Advertising Art and Design from Texas Tech University.

Between 1969 and 1971, she was a Graphic Designer and a Creative Director with Storm Printing and Ratcliff Advertising, respectively. In 1972, while teaching Art at TSTC, she started Triad Associates, which she grew into one of the largest advertising agencies in Central Texas.

She served on the Board of Directors with Kalyn from 1981 to 1994. Meg was the true definition of a serial entrepreneur starting several companies including the Gardeners Group, The Garland Group, Delightables, and Walker-Garland Ranch. Also in 2005, she received her MBA from Baylor University in International Business.

But on Adland's adlist we knew her as the beautiful redhead, who joked that she was the "resident redneck", or rather filled the role to be picked on for that. She was a ray of sunshine and wisdom who had advice on literally everything from surviving someone shooting out the back window of your car as you drive by, to employees trying to poach your clients. As she said about our tight-knit group of experienced ad people when reminiscing with me one day: "A pretty intelligent group, if I do say so myself. Don't need to backpedal, but we were quite the smartypants in our day."

Born a fighter, Meg was a leader of Our Land Our Lives, in the 1970s, an organization formed in response to a proposed Fort Hood expansion that threatened thousands of acres of private land. She testified in front of Congress and helped the landowners retain their property. 

A real sister, Meg was a founding donor for The Women's Museum in Dallas and The Carleen Bright Arboretum in Woodway.

She is survived by her husband, Lee Herring; her two daughters, Blayn Smith of Dallas, married to husband, Ron Smith, and Blayr Barnard of Crawford, married to husband, Douglas Landrum.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Mitchell, Hannah, Zach, Conor, Axton, Zander, Abigail, Paige, and Claudia. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Meg Garland Memorial Fund at Waco Founder Lions Club (1716 N 42nd St, Waco, TX 76710) for a special project near and dear to Meg's heart at Kiddieland Park.

All of adlist will miss Meg dearly, as she was very much the glue that held us together.