Jamie Chloe Boren, 87, went to be with the Lord on Monday, December 22, 2014 at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas. She was surrounded by family. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 26, 2014 at the funeral home with family present from 7p.m. ~ 8p.m. Her life will be celebrated by family and friends at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 27, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church of Robert Lee with the Reverend Cyndi Weidner officiating. Burial will follow in the Robert Lee Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home.
Jamie was born November 10, 1927 to Alley and Alta Bilbo in Robert Lee, Texas. She was one of five sisters, all of whom grew up in Robert Lee, often helping their father at the Bilbo Drug Store. After graduating from Robert Lee High School, Jamie went on to study journalism at Sul Ross University. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts and went on to write for the Sheep and Goat Raisers Magazine. She later worked for the Big Spring Herald as editor for the society section.
Jamie was married to Robert J. Boren at the Robert Lee First United Methodist Church on June 1, 1951. Born to this union were their three children, Kathy Jo, Thomas Bilbo “Bebo”, and John Robert. In addition to being a full-time mother, Jamie had a lifelong career as an educator. She taught for over 30 years at schools around the West Texas area including Hermleigh, Snyder, and Robert Lee. Her interest in journalism later inspired her to pioneer the Living Textbook, a program using newspapers as a classroom teaching tool. After retiring she was an active member of the Coke County Retired Teachers Association.
In 1981, Bob and Jamie moved to their place northwest of Robert Lee, affectionately named the “Hoot Owl Ranch”. Jamie and Bob loved living in the country with the prickly pears, mesquite trees, catclaw, and algerita berry bushes. She and Bob took joy in watching the deer, jackrabbits, cottontails, turkey, birds, and other wildlife. Jamie continued to enjoy many beautiful West Texas sunsets from their back deck after Bob passed away in 2004.
Jamie was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Robert Lee and the United Methodist Women’s group. She wrote and edited a variety of books and newsletters, including the booklet “United Methodist Women in Mission” and “A Trip Down Memory Lane with the Quilting Women”. She also took special pride in counting the number of pews her family filled on special occasions like Easter and Thanksgiving.
Known as “Nana” to her six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren she loved to host family and friends at Hoot Owl Ranch. She was fond of piling into the family’s ancient open-air jeep to take rides around the land, often joining in to sing Christmas carols no matter the time of year. These jeep rides always included a stop at Hallelujah Point, a special place on the property that overlooked, in Jamie’s words, “the mountains to the north, up Sanco way”. Jamie named the point after noticing that she always felt an urge to proclaim “Hallelujah!” when standing on the ridge and looking over God’s beautiful creation. She loved God, her country, her family, her church family, and her many friends. Her quick wit, good nature, and independent spirit will be missed by all who knew her.
She is preceded in death by her husband Bob, parents, Alley and Alta Bilbo, her sisters Ferrell Jean Bilbo and Peggy Bilbo Gilmore.
She is survived by her sisters, Alta Bell Kay of Alpine, Jo Ann Littlefield of Grove, Oklahoma, and Janet Rathmmell of Merida, Mexico; one daughter, Kathy Alexander of Robert Lee; two sons, Tom Boren of Lubbock and John Robert Boren of Snyder; six grandchildren, Miranda Wauson serving in the Dominican Republic, Jamie Jeter of Granbury, Joe Bob Alexander of Stanton, Lauren Donelson of Snyder, Jordan Donelson of Snyder, and Sloan Boren of Snyder. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Mark Kay of Andrews, Billy Havins of Pleasanton, Sandy Evans of Arlington, Joe Bob Alexander of Stanton, Sloan Boren of Snyder, and Kayce Hungate of Waco.
The family wishes to give special thanks to the nursing staff at Shannon Medical Center for the loving care shown to our family. In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions in memory of Jamie to Robert Lee First United Methodist Church.
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