1917
Roberta
2007
Roberta Lois McLelland
July 20, 1917 — May 7, 2007
Harlingen:
Roberta Lois Chaudoin McLelland, born July 20, 1917 in Harlingen, died in her home in Harlingen, May 7, 2007. “Lois” was 89 years old.
Lois’s family was one of the early families in Harlingen where her parents met and married in 1910. Her father, Louis Mackey Chaudoin, was killed in the line of duty as a border patrolman when she was19. He spent 6 months in Baylor Hospital in Dallas where he died. Her mother, May Wroten Chaudoin, a Master degreed teacher, taught for many years in the Harlingen area.
Lois taught school at Travis Elementary for 10 years prior to becoming an entrepreneur. In 1968, Lois and her husband, Ralph, started Abigail’s, a well known and popular women’s boutique in Harlingen. A family enterprise for 30 years, Lois was 80 years old and still actively involved in her business when she sold it in 1997.
Lois’ passion was studying and teaching the Bible. Since childhood she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Harlingen and taught Sunday School there for many years. She was a loving, gracious, beautiful lady whose priority throughout her life was her relationship with her God and Savior, Jesus Christ. She leaves an uncommon spiritual legacy of faith to those she taught and to her children and grandchildren.
Lois loved to travel and in 1999, she completed a 3-month, “Around-the-World” cruise on the QEII. In January of this year she began a second extended voyage. She became ill and on April 5 was admitted to the ship’s hospital. She was disembarked the next day in Durban, South Africa and placed in St. Augustine Hospital where she was treated for congestive heart failure. Her family’s goal was to bring her home. Assisted along the way by her grandson Adam and son Stan, she traveled to Dallas where she spent a week recovering at Baylor Hospital. On May 7, within an hour after reaching her home in Harlingen, God took Lois on her final journey to her eternal home.
Her husband Ralph, her brothers Winston and Dayle, and her sister Elizabeth Majors preceded her in death. She is survived by her son Gerald (Sue) McLelland of Dallas, her son Stan McLelland of Austin, and daughter Martha (Vern) Stenseng of Harlingen. She has four grandsons, Matt (Chanita) McLelland of Austin, Michael McLelland of Dallas, Mark McLelland of Austin and Adam Smith of London, UK. She is survived by one great-grandson, Will McLelland of Austin and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.
Services will be held Friday, May 11th at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church in Harlingen with the Rev. Don Higginbotham officiating. Her four grandsons’ will serve as pallbearers. Interment will follow at Rest Lawn Cemetery. Visitation was held at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home on Thursday and the family received friends from 5 to 7 at the funeral home. Friends are also invited to visit with the family members at the home of Vern and Martha Stenseng following the funeral services.
You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.buck-ashcraft.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.
Roberta Lois Chaudoin McLelland, born July 20, 1917 in Harlingen, died in her home in Harlingen, May 7, 2007. “Lois” was 89 years old.
Lois’s family was one of the early families in Harlingen where her parents met and married in 1910. Her father, Louis Mackey Chaudoin, was killed in the line of duty as a border patrolman when she was19. He spent 6 months in Baylor Hospital in Dallas where he died. Her mother, May Wroten Chaudoin, a Master degreed teacher, taught for many years in the Harlingen area.
Lois taught school at Travis Elementary for 10 years prior to becoming an entrepreneur. In 1968, Lois and her husband, Ralph, started Abigail’s, a well known and popular women’s boutique in Harlingen. A family enterprise for 30 years, Lois was 80 years old and still actively involved in her business when she sold it in 1997.
Lois’ passion was studying and teaching the Bible. Since childhood she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Harlingen and taught Sunday School there for many years. She was a loving, gracious, beautiful lady whose priority throughout her life was her relationship with her God and Savior, Jesus Christ. She leaves an uncommon spiritual legacy of faith to those she taught and to her children and grandchildren.
Lois loved to travel and in 1999, she completed a 3-month, “Around-the-World” cruise on the QEII. In January of this year she began a second extended voyage. She became ill and on April 5 was admitted to the ship’s hospital. She was disembarked the next day in Durban, South Africa and placed in St. Augustine Hospital where she was treated for congestive heart failure. Her family’s goal was to bring her home. Assisted along the way by her grandson Adam and son Stan, she traveled to Dallas where she spent a week recovering at Baylor Hospital. On May 7, within an hour after reaching her home in Harlingen, God took Lois on her final journey to her eternal home.
Her husband Ralph, her brothers Winston and Dayle, and her sister Elizabeth Majors preceded her in death. She is survived by her son Gerald (Sue) McLelland of Dallas, her son Stan McLelland of Austin, and daughter Martha (Vern) Stenseng of Harlingen. She has four grandsons, Matt (Chanita) McLelland of Austin, Michael McLelland of Dallas, Mark McLelland of Austin and Adam Smith of London, UK. She is survived by one great-grandson, Will McLelland of Austin and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.
Services will be held Friday, May 11th at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church in Harlingen with the Rev. Don Higginbotham officiating. Her four grandsons’ will serve as pallbearers. Interment will follow at Rest Lawn Cemetery. Visitation was held at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home on Thursday and the family received friends from 5 to 7 at the funeral home. Friends are also invited to visit with the family members at the home of Vern and Martha Stenseng following the funeral services.
You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.buck-ashcraft.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.
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