Doris Lee Bell Moberley

Doris Lee Bell Moberley was born February 22, 1920 in Matagorda at a home on the corner of Peach and Matagorda Street, the fourth child of Frank and Nora Bell. They lived near Matagorda Bay and Old Gulf where Frank Bell, her father, worked for Texas Gulf Sulphur and where she enjoyed the love and fellowship of her large family of brothers and sisters. Many of her early activities centered around fishing, crabbing, sailing, swimming and enjoying the East Bay. One of her favorite things was sailing across the East Bay with her dad and floundering all night and sailing back home at first light. She passed away January 4, 2023.

Doris was preceded in death by her sisters, Irene Jinks, Gladys Lane, Ellanora Hartsfield, and Nell Middleton; her brothers, Floyd Bell, Robert Bell, and William Bell; and her daughter, Connie Moberley. She is survived by her brother, Donald Bell of Navasota, Texas; her daughter, Pat Moberley Moore and husband Clifford A Moore, and her daughter-in-law, Pamela Kunkle Moberley and daughters, Lemaria and Laila Smith

Doris attended school at Old Gulf, New Gulf, and Matagorda. While at Gulf High School, she lettered 3 years in basketball, was elected "most beautiful "and "most popular" and was engaged in all the school's activities. She later served as President of the Gulf High School Reunions for 19 years.

She fell in love with Oscar Moberley, a life-long resident of Matagorda, and they married on September 4, 1937. During their early marriage, they lived with Lyda Moberley, Oscar's mother and shared a house with the family. Pat was born November 6, 1941, and they bought a home from Elbert Moberley, Oscar's uncle, and promptly went through the 1942 storm. She and Oscar and their two girls, Pat & Connie, born July 5, 1946, lived in this house (with many additions and improvements through the years).

She joined the First Methodist Church of Matagorda where Oscar's family were members and stayed active all her life in the Women's Missionary Society, teaching Sunday School, and supporting all the church's programs. Together, she and Oscar were instrumental in the addition of the Fellowship Hall at the Matagorda Methodist Church, a project very dear to her. She designed and installed the stained- glass panels on either side of the entrance door to the main sanctuary of the church along with the Moberley family's window.

Doris was always at work with family, sewing, giving permanents, or cooking at the beach. She could pack up in a minute for a breakfast cookout or an evening fish fry on the beach, or organize coffee, lunch, and dessert on the trail when she and Oscar and various groups of cowboys moved their collective herds to winter or spring pasture. She won several sewing competitions with her creations for her daughters, many with patterns she designed herself.

She obtained a commercial license and drove a school bus for Matagorda Elementary School for eleven years. She always managed to get the kids to school on time despite the interference of towboats navigating the Intercoastal Canal; requiring the old swing bridge to close the road to traffic.

Doris drove twice a week to Houston to take night classes toward a Real Estate Sales license. She later added a Broker's License and worked for her brothers Bill, Don and Bob Bell over a 40-year period. She had an inquiring and bright mind and loved the challenges of dealing in real estate and the chance to meet new people. She continued to sell real estate until she couldn't navigate the many stairs in properties in the area's waterfront area.

A founding member of The River's End Garden Club, Doris served in all offices at one time or another. She loved the opportunity that all their many flower shows gave her to be creative and, also, had a great time traveling on the club's many forays through different parts of the States as well as Africa and the Holy Land. Active in community projects, and civic improvement programs, she was a member of the P.T.A., the Matagorda Historical Society, and the D.A.R.

Oscar, Doris and the girls all worked together in raising and caring for their herd of cattle. For several years, she and Oscar sponsored a Trail Ride for local children, starting in Matagorda and riding to Bay City for the annual Stock Show Rodeo parade.

Each year, they participated with other cattle owners in moving their herds to winter pasture by swimming them across the Colorado River to West Beach .

After Oscar's death in 2002, Doris stayed on in their home they had built on their land in Wadsworth and continued to keep the cattle business until she sold the Wadsworth property and moved back to the old home place in Matagorda.

She stayed bright and interested in life right up to her death....her biggest gripe was having to depend on a walker which slowed her down too much.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, January 14, 2 p.m. at Matagorda United Methodist Church in Matagorda, Texas. Interment to follow at Matagorda Cemetery followed by a Gathering of Memories at The Moberley Fellowship Hall, Matagorda United Methodist Church.

Online condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.taylorbros.net. Arrangements are with Taylor Bros. Funeral Home Bay City. 979-245-4613.

LINKS

Taylor Bros. Funeral Home

Victoria Advocate Memoriams

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