Delois Marie Bogle

DeLois Marie Dobbs Bogle left this world on January 26, 2022, at the age of 90.  She spent her last hours making plans for herself and her family, as she always did.  She was in the truest sense, a homemaker.  Wherever she or her family landed, she made a warm and welcoming home.

Dee had a confident sense of adventure tempered with courage and no fear of hard work or new challenges.  At the age of 16, she left home to seek an independent life for herself.  Hiding in the back of her cousin’s car, as he left her home in Waurika, Oklahoma, she didn’t pop up to announce her presence until he had driven too far to turn around.  He dropped her off in Fort Worth, Texas where she quickly found a job, a room, and a roommate.  Thus, her first home was a simple one, but all hers.

Her sense of adventure was an asset for her marriage to Tommy Gene Bogle for 66 years.  At the age of 19, she followed her newlywed and recently drafted husband to Escondido, California near the naval base where Tommy was stationed.  There, they rented a small, two room cinderblock house in the middle of an orange grove.  This is the home that she spoke most fondly of.  She loved the smell of the orange blossoms and the almost perfect weather where anything she planted prospered.  She would join Tommy in many moves and travels after this, always working to make a comfortable home, and make the best of any circumstances.  She worked alongside Tommy as they built their beloved Cedar B Ranch.  Dee was game for anything.  Tommy would say, “Dee, drive this dump truck…; Dee, get up in that bulldozer…; Dee, jump out and stop those cows from stampeding…”. She did all this and much more, not always without trepidation, but always with courage and determination.

The first thing she would do at any new home was plant flowers.  She had a positively green thumb, and she could make anything grow stronger and more lovely.  Her love and attention gave life to plants that others would have deemed long gone.  Even at her home in Odessa, Texas where the landscape consisted mostly of tumbleweeds, and things with thorns, she filled a planter with prickly pear cacti producing beautiful blossoms and sweet fruit.

Dee was beautiful, funny, intelligent, compassionate, and always willing to lend a helping hand.  She made friends easily and kept them for life.  Of special note was “her girl scout troop” as she called them, a group of six ladies who traveled, played, and supported each other.  These friends led Dee to make a deeper commitment to God.  This commitment blessed her with an abiding faith, strength, and wisdom.  Her faith was an inspiration to many a friend and family member.

Dee was a champion for her three children. Sensing their needs, sensitive to their struggles, and celebrating their accomplishments, she offered advice, support, food, a sympathetic ear, or whatever else might be needed.  She rode to their rescue too many times to describe here.  She focused on the good in them and blessed them with her love.

Finally, her strength and courage enabled her to personally care for her husband after his stroke until his death.  Sometime after his death, she sensed it was time to strike out on her own once again and sell the ranch and property to downsize to a smaller home nearby.

In her new home, she quickly set about planting flowers which prospered as always and brought pleasure to her and all who saw them.  Although we do not know exactly what happened on her last night, I like to imagine she heard Tommy’s voice calling her once again to a new adventure, to their new eternal home.  I know there will be flowers.

May those who survive her take inspiration and comfort from her strength and courage, especially Jimmie Eschberger, her most faithful friend and companion, and his family who loved and accepted Dee as their own; son Tommy Bogle and wife Norma, daughter Peggy Bogle Breef and husband Jim; son Stephen Bogle and wife Jan; grandchildren Axsel Bogle and wife Leeza, Olivia Breef Breckenridge and husband Justin, Caitlin Breef Nance and husband Cooper, and Robert Bogle; her great grandchildren Bailey Nance, Paige Nance, and Benjamin Breckenridge; and her many family members and friends.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 5th at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 230 Waco Street, McDade, Texas 78650

We respectfully ask that all those in attendance please wear a mask.

Services may be viewed via live stream at https://youtu.be/hdJ_6sdsFLc