Mabel Ruth Bishop
Riley age 96 of Bandera, Tx passed from this life on March 11, 2024, at 6:20 p.m. Mabel was born Sept. 10, 1927 in Fal, La., an extinct logging town that was located in Vernon Parish. Her parents were C.B. “Burt” Bishop and Minervia Williams Bishop. She married Joe L. Riley on Dec. 20,1945.
Mabel was approximately 1 year old when the family moved to the Trout Creek Community near Call, Tx. where she lived the majority of her life. She did live a short time near Hemphill, Tx. and later moved to Calvin, Ok. in 2009. She would move again in 2018 to Bandera, Tx. where she enjoyed people driving by just to look at her tiny house. She was blessed to be in her home when she passed.
Mabel was in the graduating class of 1945 at Bleakwood School located at Trout Creek. In 1957 she received her Red Cross Nursing Certificate and a Nurse’s Aide Certificate from Newton County Hospital in 1965. From 1978 through 1996 she would attend income tax preparation classes at Texas A&M University and would also attend bookkeeping classes at Lamar University. In 1977 Mabel received her Public Accountant License and in 1989 was licensed to sell life insurance. She belonged to the Texas Association of Assessing Officers in Austin, Tx.
At age 15, Mabel started work at Mike Martin’s store at Trout Creek. After graduating school at age 18, she went to work in Beaumont at Fehr Baking. After she married Joe, they moved to Silsbee, and she worked for Read Plumbing in the office. Later she bought 20 acres of land at Trout Creek. She began doing notary work. Starting in 1962, Mabel had a home office for Joe’s logging business and she also sold license plates for the county. She helped many people get their birth certificates, but the most difficult one was her dad’s. She was a secretary for Southwestern Timber Company for 81/2 years. She then had a business service at home for bookkeeping, income tax and notary work. Mabel also worked in the Newton County Tax Assessors office.
Mabel was a 61-year member of The Order of Eastern Star. She was a charter member of Kirbyville Chapter No. 263 and held the position of Worthy Matron 2008-2009. She was a current member of Bandera Chapter No. 643.
Mabel was preceded in death by her parents Burt and Minervia. Her husband Joe L. Riley. A baby daughter buried in Silsbee, Tx, a newborn buried at the old home place, two additional babies lost, newborn son Joe Burton Riley, son John Larry Riley. Her only sibling, a brother, William Melvin “Buck” Bishop.
She is survived by son Steve Bradford Riley, Sr, and wife Robbie of Bon-Weir, Tx., daughter Bertie Joanne Hardwick and husband Tommy of Bandera, Tx and Calvin, Ok. and son Bishop Todd Riley of Trout Creek Community, Call, Tx., grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren.
Visitation will be Sunday March 17, 2024, 10 a.m. to noon at Adams EE Stringer Funeral Home in Kirbyville, Tx. Services will be held at the same location at 2pm, with pastor Jeff Bishop officiating. Burial will follow at the Trout Creek Cemetery.
A special thanks to Ben and Cathy Cavell and Visiting Angel Denise Alexander for helping care for Mabel in her time of need. We appreciate all the prayer warriors at Riding the River Cowboy Fellowship in Bandera, Tx. Thank you, Grimes Bandera Funeral Chapel in Bandera, Tx. and Adams EE Stringer Funeral Home in Kirbyville, Tx. for our services.
