Myra Belle Swindell Boggs Mumaw's Obituary
Age 96, quietly and graciously unclasped her earthly bonds on March 10th, 2017, and was welcomed into her Heavenly home by her loving Father where she embraced so many beloved family members. Born November 25, 1920, in Childress, TX, Myra Belle grew up in Dallas, where she lived with her parents, the late Ridley Williams Swindell and Little Effie Swindell, where she was an active member of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church and, later, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. She was the second of five children, including Betty June Metz, the late Mary Alice Abel, the late Dorothy Jeanne Brinson and the late Ridley (Sonny) Swindell, Jr., Myra Belle’s five-year-old baby brother. His death — the result of the simultaneous onset of measles and pneumonia — before antibiotics. When she was seven, Myra Belle and her family gathered with other Dallasites along Oak Lawn Avenue to see Charles Lindbergh pass in an open car during a parade in his honor after his trans-Atlantic flight. She and neighborhood girls had planned to shout out, “We love you, Lindy!” when the ruggedly handsome aviator passed, but when the moment came, the girls stood in stunned silence as their hero rode by. Graduating with North Dallas High School’s Class of 1938, Myra Belle was offered a math scholarship to then-Hockaday Jr. College, but as her mother rationalized, “A college degree doesn’t make having babies any easier,” so, instead of going to college, Myra went to comptometer (first commercially successful key-driven calculator) school. After her daughters earned their first degrees, Myra returned to the classroom at Brookhaven College and earned more than 30 credits toward her bachelor’s degree. After completing her business school training in 1930, she was hired as a comptometer operator for Otis Elevator and eventually, Sears, Roebuck & Co., on Ross Ave., where she also modeled hosiery in the 1940s. During WWII, she volunteered as a hostess for the USO in downtown Dallas. In wartime, and the Swindell family hosted many soldiers and sailors at their home at 2726 Welborn for Sunday dinners and Saturday night dances. For the latter, they rolled up the rugs, moved furniture from the large living room and played records on their Victrola. Myra Belle had a beautiful voice, loved to dance and enjoyed the orchestra music on the rooftop of the Hotel Adolphus, in the ballroom of the Baker Hotel, Cotton Club, and others. One evening popular orchestra leader Joe Reichmann heard Myra Belle sing and offered her a job. However, her parents nixed the idea of her traveling with the band, unchaperoned, and so the disappointed songbird returned to her job at Sears the following Monday. Myra Belle’s magnetic smile and cheerful attitude attracted people to her, and she made many, many lifelong friends during her life’s journey. She met Herschel Jefferson Boggs at the Farrow Class at Oak Lawn Methodist in 1944. Herschel, who had been working as a Spanish interpreter for the State Department in Washington during WWII, had been given a new assignment in the Dallas area. After an appropriate and proper courtship, the couple married at Oak Lawn Methodist Church, the Rev. Dr. John Donaho officiating. The wedding reception was held at the home of the bride, after which the couple left for a honeymoon in Monterey, Mexico, Mr. and Mrs. Boggs moved to San Angelo, Herschel’s hometown. There they had two daughters, Alice Ann (1946) and Susan Dale (1949). Myra Belle served as mother and homemaker as well as volunteer in the Santa Rita Elementary School PTA, room mother, Brownie Scout leader, costume designer for the girls’ dance recitals, San Angelo Cotillion, the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, an active member of First Presbyterian Church and Sunday school teacher, Vacation Bible School Director, ladies circle leader, Candlelighting Service Director and anything else she was called on to do. The Boggs family moved to Dallas in 1957, where a third daughter — Melinda Lee (1957) — was born. Again, Myra Belle was involved in PTA at Caillet Elementary, E.H. Cary Jr. High and Thomas Jefferson HS. Along with making a home, she participated in church activities at Oak Lawn Methodist, women’s and dinner bridge clubs, scouting, etc. She was an excellent seamstress, sewing most of her daughters’ clothing, a gourmet cook, a fine Christian role model and a loving wife. She dedicated herself to providing her family with a comfortable home and a wonderful life…and when it came time for the girls to go away to college, Myra Belle took a job, first with Sanger-Harris at Highland Park Village and then as medical office manager for a number of physicians in the Locke Medical Building. When she retired, she had also worked for the late Leonard Gravier, M.D., a pediatric surgeon, for more than a decade. After all three girls had earned their bachelor degrees, Myra Belle and Herschel filled their empty nest with activities, travel, and friends. Herschel Boggs died in 1980 after a valiant, two-year battle with lymphoma, and for the next 8 years, Myra continued loyal attendance at Lover’s Lane United Methodist and the Swingin’ Saints Square Dance Club. She also enjoyed daily three-mile walks on the track at Town North YMCA, her group of widowed lady friends, appropriately calling themselves “The Girls” and traveling. Over her lifetime, Myra Belle visited a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Germany, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, and others. After meeting the newly-widowed James L. Mumaw through her volunteer work with Widowed Persons Services, the two married a little more than a year later at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. Jim, who was a bomber pilot during WWII and retired as a captain from Braniff Airways, consented to take square dance lessons. Later, the two also took round dance lessons. On the many cruises they enjoyed, they commanded the dance floor with their dance expertise and were applauded by their audiences around the world. After 20 years of marriage, the two traded the burdens of home ownership for a carefree lifestyle in The Tradition senior community. As Myra’s health became more fragile, they moved again, this time to Caruth Haven Court. Jim passed away May 2016. Myra is survived by her daughters Alice Ann, Susan Dale, and her husband, Sam, and Melinda Lee, and her husband Bill, nine grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by Jims’ two children, Ted Mumaw, and his wife Jackie, Linda Douglas, and her husband Ron and their families. She is also survived by her sister, Betty Metz and numerous nieces and nephews. Myra’s Heavenly journey leaves many with heavy hearts, and at the same time, we rejoice in our bountiful memories and the knowledge our loving mother has realized God’s promise for everlasting life and the eternal peace only angels can know. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” —-Psalm 116:15 A visitation will be held Sunday, March 19th, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Restland Funeral Home. After family graveside rites at Restland Memorial Park on March 20th, a celebration of Myra Belle’s life will be held at noon at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, followed by an informal reception.
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