Mabelle Cooke Hamilton Allen, 98, of Lolita, passed away on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, in Port Lavaca, TX. She was born on December 3, 1922 in her grandparents' home on Hamilton Lane near Lolita in Jackson County, TX to John Ernest and Mary Jane Hamilton. Mabelle "Mabel" was the third of nine children.
Growing up near Lolita in a farming family, Mabel learned early the value of hard work. By age 9 she was making biscuits on the wood stove and often caring for her younger siblings while her parents worked in the fields. When old enough, she also picked cotton by hand with the family. Mabel often told of her aunt who read the Bible to her and her siblings, making sure they knew Jesus as their Savior. Mabel was baptized as a youth at the Red Bluff Baptist Church near Lolita and graduated from La Ward High School in La Ward, TX.
On November 6, 1941, Mabel married Sam Allen. To their union, three children born: Sammy, Carl, and Janie. Mabel's early married life was shadowed by WWII as she followed Sam by train to various Army camps across the United States until Sam was assigned to the Philippines. At that time she returned to Lolita where she and Sam made their home when he returned from the war.
Mabel and Sam were self-employed. They successfully owned a dump truck business in the 1950's-1960s, operated the Humble/Exxon full service gas station in Lolita until 1974, and finally became full time farmers/ranchers in the Lolita area. She and Sam were married almost 60 years when he passed in 2001.
Mabel was an excellent cook and seamstress. However, she loved spending time outdoors doing yardwork, some gardening, walking, and "talking" to her heifer calves. She loved children, and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren, as well as caring for the little children in her church's nursery. And if you stopped by to visit, there would soon be a fresh pot of coffee brewed. .She was always up for a game of dominoes, be it 42, Shoot the Moon, Chicken Foot, or Straight Dominoes. And she usually won! Her favorite puzzles were the daily newspaper cryptoquips which rarely stumped her. But possibly her favorite times were spent with her sisters. They had a special bond.
Whether you knew her as Mom, Mama, Granny, Aunt Mabe, Cookie, or Mrs. Allen, you knew she loved you. Although dementia robbed Mom of so many joys and activities, we could still occasionally hear her funny sense of humor, hear her sing a funny song, and see the sparkle of recognition in her eyes when we visited. We knew she loved us and she told us often, "I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck."
Mabel is preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Fredrick Allen, Sr.; parents, John and Mary Hamilton; her siblings, Theo Allen,
Tommy Hamilton, R.E. Hamilton, Willie Ann Clement, Adelle Sutton, Maurine Schulze, and Darvis Hamilton.
Left to cherish her memory is her brother Norman (Jolene) Hamilton of Amarillo, TX, her children Samuel, II (Shirley) Allen of Richwood, TX, Carl (Linda) Allen of Lolita, TX and Janie (Steve) Riddle of Ganado, TX, as well as grandchildren Michael (Elise) Allen, Brian Allen, Britt Allen, Brad (Bethany) Allen, Scott Allen, Dale (Jamie) Allen, Rebecca Riddle, Jesse (Shelly) Riddle, Kyle Riddle, Jesse Skinner, and James Skinner, and seventeen great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
We wish to give a special thank you to Nancy Sherman for her selfless care of Mom for so many years.
Pallbearers will be grandchildren: Michael Allen, Brian Allen, Britt Allen, Brad Allen, Scott Allen, Dale Allen, Rebecca Riddle, Jesse Riddle, and Kyle Riddle.
Services will be held Saturday, August 14, 2021 , at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Lolita, TX with interment at Red Bluff Cemetery near Lolita. Visitation will be Friday, August 13, from 6-8 p.m. at Slavik Funeral Home in Edna, TX.
Services are under the guidance of Russell Todish of Slavik Funeral Home, 209 N. Allen St. Edna, TX 77957, 361-782-2152.
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