Ora Belle Stringer, age 98, passed away peacefully May 4, 2023 due to a brain stem stroke. She was born August 4, 1924 in Kingsville, Texas to Oran and Jessie Belle Sharp. She married the love of her life, Robert Lynn Stringer in 1947. He preceded her in death in 1984.

Ora Belle is survived by her son, Bob Stringer of Duncanville, Texas and her daughter Barbara Allen of Midlothian, Texas.

After graduating from Baylor in 1945, she taught first grade for several years, but left teaching when she had her son to devote her life to her family. She supported her family, and was a doting mother. She was always involved in school activities, and when her son, Bob, started playing the trumpet in band competitions, she played piano as his accompanist. She was always the consummate hostess when her “duties” as the wife of a banker called on her to do so.

She always said her life was a little bit that of a gypsy. She and Lynn left Waco for Houston in 1957. Then Lynn was offered a chance as president of a bank in Waxahachie, Texas where they stayed for about 5 years. From there, they moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma, then Lynn was able to be an owner of the bank in Dardanelle, Arkansas. In 1971 they sold the bank and moved to Mena, Arkansas, and then to Tulsa, Oklahoma. While in Tulsa, Ora Belle and Lynn took lessons square dancing, and learned to love it. Ora Belle also decided she didn't want to be a golf widow, so she started taking lessons. She wasn't bad, and dearly loved the game.

When Lynn took a job managing the Xanadu Hotel in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island in 1982, she was his constant companion -- and, she became his favorite golf partner. Bob and Barbara both marveled at their obvious love affair – after all those years, they still acted like newlyweds.

After the death of Lynn in 1984 (still in the Bahamas), Ora Belle moved to Lancaster, Texas to be near their best friends, Rex and Polly Shelton. She went back to teaching first grade in Red Oak, Texas. She continued teaching until she was 73 in 1997. She always said the most rewarding thing she had ever experienced was watching a child when they first discovered they could read. Her efforts were rewarded with her being recognized as teacher of the year in the Red Oak School District. Although she was well beyond normal retirement age, her superiors and co-workers begged her not to retire.

She loved ballroom and country dancing and this passion kept her young after she retired. In 2017, she moved in with her son, Bob in Duncanville, Texas, where she lived until her death on May 4, 2023. She also loved working her crossword puzzles. She was still working the New York Times puzzle every day, and almost daily conferred with her dearest friend, Joyce Minyard when they had trouble with a word or two. She was lucky to be with Joyce when she had the stroke that took her the day before her death. Ora Belle never lost her passion for life, her intelligence or her sense of humor.

There will be an informal viewing on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at Jayne's Memorial Chapel, 811 S. Cockrell Hill Road in Duncanville, Texas from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. There will be a graveside service on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at Waco Memorial Park in Waco, Texas at 2:00 PM