Mora Evelyn Waddell Boone passed away on Thursday, December 11 at her apartment in Bryan, 12 days short of her 107th birthday. Visitation will be on Sunday, December 14 from 2 to 4 p. m. at the Callaway-Jones Funeral Home, 3001 S. College Avenue in Bryan. Services and interment will take place at 2 p. m. on Monday, December 15 at the Davis Greenlawn Funeral Chapel and Cemetery, 3900 B. F. Terry Blvd. in Rosenberg, TX.
Mora was born December 23, 1901 to Homer Arthur Waddell and Susie Annie White in Greenville, Texas, the fifth of eight children. In 1906-07 the family moved by train to Floydada, then by covered wagon to Alpine. Mora’s family then moved to San Antonio, Cuero, Navidad, and Asherton before settling in Houston, where she attended Central High School, the only high school in Houston at that time.
On December 25, 1921 Mora married James L. Boone, a teacher and farmer in the Alief community about 15 miles southwest of Houston. James worked the family farm while teaching and serving as high school principal in the Alief Independent School District until 1930, when he was elected Superintendent of Schools for the Beasley Independent School District in Fort Bend County.
Wanting to become a teacher, Mora started taking college courses in 1930, twelve years after leaving high school. She took courses at Texas A-M in the summers and took correspondence courses during the regular school year. By 1932 she had enough credits to begin teaching English and literature at Beasley High School. Despite a petition to the A-M Board of Directors by the many women who were attending the A-M summer sessions, the college steadfastly refused to grant degrees to women, so Mora completed her last 30 credits at Sam Houston, and received her B. S. degree in English and History there in 1937, and a Master of Library Science degree from Sam Houston in 1951..
Mora served the public schools as a teacher and school librarian at Beasley, Lolita, Needville and Houston over a period of 32 years. She retired in 1964 from Jane Long Junior High School in Houston. After her retirement, she turned to encouraging others to become teachers. In 2004 Mora endowed a President’s Endowed Scholarship for students majoring in the College of Education at Texas A-M University. Nine of her descendants have followed her in the teaching profession.
Mora Boone is survived by her two sons, James of College Station, H. S. “Dan” Boone, and a daughter-in-law, Margaret Sue Benbow Boone, both of Houston; 5 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren. Her husband, parents and siblings preceded her in death.
The last time I saw Ms. Boone was at our TAMU College of Education Advisory Council meeting earlier this year. If a person can strut while on a walker, she did. As she went by our little group, she looked over her shoulder and said, ‘See you next year!’
I shall always treasure that memory of her spunk, clarity, humor, and vitality at the age of 106!! Mora Boone was truly a remarkable woman and she will continue to serve as a role model for some of us who had the priviledge to know her.
Thanks for sharing your mother with us!
Dr. Boone:
I am so sorry to learn of your mother’s death. I recall when she and my dad were neighbors at Walden. Dad was really fond of her, as she was so kind to all who knew her. May God Bless you and your family today.
The Beasley School Reunion will never be the same because she was always such an inspiration to all the attendees, most of which she had taught in school. She was probably the last surviving member of the Beasley Pinochle Group, and what an outstanding group they were. For all her students and people she touched, she certainly set the bar high.
My condolences to the Boone family. I remember Mr. and Mrs. Boone as a child visiting our home in Beasley. They were always so kind and thoughtful. I think that Mrs. Boone may have taught my dad at Beasley High School as he graduated in 1935. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Shirley Warncke
I know there will be a great void in your life without her. She lived a beautiful Christian life and encouraged all to follow in her footsteps. We will miss her as our Alief Queen but we will not forget her. Deepest sympathy to all the family.
James – Sylvester:
I just found out about your Mom, and had I known, I would have been at the funeral, not just out of respect, but because I really thought a lot of your Mom, and she was such a huge part of my family (R.B. – Alice Drachenberg), as you may or may not know. Every job my Dad ever had, as a teacher and priinciapl, he owed to his relationship with your Mom and Dad. And your Dad was my high school superintindent, your Mom was my High School liibrarian, and I remembered growing up feeling as though your Dad and Mom were relatives of our family. And my Dad and I worked on your parents house (and apartments they owned) in Richmond, and even after your Dad was dead and my Dad was dead, I parinted the inside of the apartments for your Mom. She was at my Mom’s funeral in 2004, and Karen and I visited your Mom in Bryan a couple years ago. She and I exchanged Christmas Cards every single Christmas over the years, and she would periodically mail newspaper clippings, and the like, to me. I will not get a Christmas card from her this year for the first time in years and years. I just wished I had known about her funeral. She was not only a wonderful lady, who touched the lives of so many people, but she was an incredible lady. You are so very lucky to have had your Mom until she was 106 years old !!!!! She will be greatly missed by many folks. I wish both of you all the best, and I would greatly appreciate if you could get your mailing addresses to me. Thanks.
Donnie (- Doris) Drachenberg
1014 Horace Mann
Rosenberg, Texas 77471