Sylvia Dora (Bell) Hill

Sylvia Dora (Bell) Hill, 86, died March 31, 2011. She was born Feb. 8, 1925, in the Broken Bow, Holly Creek community in Oklahoma to Louis Henry Bell and Amanda Eldora Bell.

She attended school in the community. She married Charles Alfred Hill Nov. 2, 1946. She graduated from Houston Beauty Academy in Houston. Their daughter was born Sept 18, 1953.

She moved to Oatmeal. She also operated her own beauty shop and boutique — Fashion Square Beauty Salon — which was destroyed by the tornado when it struck Burnet.

She rebuilt and located in an expanded building on Texas 29 West for several years.

She spent many hours sewing dresses and outfits for her grandchildren. She thoroughly immersed herself in the details of each outfit she created. She loved the quiet and solitude of birds, animals and flowers, especially with an early cup of coffee.

She loved growing her organic garden at her rural country home. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Burnet and attended before her health failed.

Survivors include daughter Linda Henry and husband Gene; grandchildren Kellie Strain and husband Carter, Valerie Henderson and husband Jacob, Alicia Graham and husband Robert, Brad Henry and wife Lacey; great-grandchildren Logan Strain, Caden Strain, Kayla Strain, Brett Henderson, Brenden Henderson, James Graham and Luke Henry; sister Myrtle Burris of Sulphur Springs; brother Jack Bell and wife Berneda of Broken Bow, Okla.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents ; sisters Gladys Balkcom, Addie Moore, Ethel Brown, Neta Bell, Lula Mae Johnson, Lucille Lafferty and Bonnie Gibbs; and brothers John Bell, Brown Bell and Prince Bell.

A funeral service is 2 p.m. April 2 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Chapel, 306 Texas 29 East in Burnet, (512) 756-222, with the Rev. John Warden officiating. Interment will follow at the Mount Zion Cemetery near her home in Oatmeal.