Delma was born on February 10, 1923 in Beaumont, Texas to Lloyd Shell and Ada Delma French Shell and lived all of her life in the Rosedale area of Beaumont. She was a long time member of Rosedale Baptist Church. On June 9, 2008, she went home to be with her Lord and had a joyous reunion with her husband, Billie Clark Fail, her parents, her younger brother David Andrew “Mickey” Shell, and a host of family and friends who preceded her into eternal life in Christ.
Mother graduated from Beaumont High School in 1940 and married the love of her life on February 14, 1941. They shared a wonderfully happy life together until Daddy’s death on March 9, 1995. Mother delighted in her family giving us unconditional love and support. Her steady and wise counsel modeled for us the need for a good work ethic, good morals, and dependability. Three of her sayings kept our feet on the straight and narrow: “pretty is as pretty does”, “can’t never could do “nothin”, and “fools’ names and fools’ faces are always found in public places”.
A firm believer in the old adage that idle hands are the devil’s workshop, her hands stayed busy in keeping a well-organized and clean home. She kept friends and family supplied with beautiful crocheted afghans. Her love for gardening has kept our hands busy in the good soil of the earth because she taught us that digging in the dirt is “good for what ails you”. Her love of birds in the wild- she fed them, chronicled their arrivals and departures, and could imitate many of their voices- has given us an appreciation for God’s little creatures. She loved the Lord and modeled His servant’s heart, generosity, kindness, and sweetness of spirit. She taught us to appreciate the simple things of life and the joy of embracing the quietness of solitude. Thanks, Mama, for the life, love, and laughter. We love you!
She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Marilyn and Marvin Ayres and Suzanne and Charles Best; her granddaughter, grandsons, and their families: Trey, Brenda, Billy, and Jake Best; Chad, Piper, Zoey, and Zane Ayres; Paige, Blaine, Jesse, and Cassidee Sparks; Scott, Allison, Daniel, and Lauren Ayres; her brother and sister-in-law, Lloyd and Georgia Shell and sister, Gloria McKnight.
Because of the dementia that quickly robbed us of Mother’s wonderful personality, she spent the last decade of her life at Silsbee Oaks Nursing Home. We, her family, would like to thank director Anna Tanton and her dedicated, loving, and caring staff who always went the extra mile and much more to keep Mother healthy and all of us happy. Words will never be enough so our prayer for you all is “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
A gathering of family and friends will be Wednesday, June 11, 2008 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Broussard's, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont. To honor her wishes, there will be a graveside celebration of her life for immediate family members only on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at Magnolia Cemetery, Beaumont, Texas. Pallbearers will be her sons-in-law, grandsons, and lifelong family friend Joe MacKan.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Mother’s favorite charity, Boys’ Haven, P.O. Box 5815, Beaumont, Texas 77726.
