Maryanne Chambers Gilmore
Maryanne Chambers Gilmore passed away Friday, November 26, 2021, in Wichita Falls, Texas with her family at her side. Visitation will be held from 6-8 PM on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at Dutton Funeral Home with funeral services at 2 PM on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at Lakeview Church in Iowa Park, Texas with Pastor Daniel Robertson officiating. Pavilion services will follow at Highland Cemetery under direction of Dutton Funeral Home in Iowa Park.
Born February 5, 1932 in Skellytown, Texas to Robert Burton Chambers and Rosetta Stringfellow Chambers, she was the youngest of eight children. The family moved to Clara, Texas which was her home throughout her youth, attending elementary and Jr. High School in Burkburnett, Texas. She moved with her parents to Iowa Park, Texas in 1947 where she attended W.F. George High School. It was there she met Billy Joe Gilmore and they married February 19, 1950. They graduated high school together that same year.
She developed an early love for singing, joining in with friends and neighbors whenever possible. Maryanne was selected to be part of the first high school trio in Iowa Park, singing at various functions and at local churches. During the 1960’s she was a member of the Sweet Adelines musical group. Throughout that time, she also taught Sunday school classes at First Baptist Church. It was there that she formed the original children’s church in 1979, naming it Chapel Church. While designed for children, it was a service similar to the adult worship service. It brought her tremendous joy seeing children give their hearts to Jesus at the altar of those little services.
Maryanne owned and operated Country Collections Art Gallery which served to allow local artist the opportunity to showcase their craft. Joining up with her husband to volunteer at Highland Cemetery, she later was hired full time. It was then she realized the need for a better facility. She designed the gazebo which sits atop the hill and together they raised funds and secured volunteers for the construction.
Maryanne enjoyed motorcycling and on one trip, she and Billy Joe logged 5,000 miles exploring the Northeast United States and Canada, joined by a cat named Tinkerbelle and a pup named Bea. In 1987 she became a Life Member of the Harley Owners Group.
She began a newsletter for her Iowa Park Class of 1950 that became known as “Old Friends”. The newsletter soon evolved to include hundreds of Iowa Park alumni and friends. It became a platform to reconnect with long lost classmates and share stories of days gone by. That endeavor brought her great joy as she continually made new friendships with countless people.
Maryanne always loved to write and after finding her “Tranquility Place” in the woods of Oklahoma, she indulged that passion by writing her own memoirs and was soon sought after to assist others with putting their stories in print. Her last project was to help her husband, Billy Joe Gilmore document his life story. But her proudest accomplishment was being led by God to write the children’s Bible study guide “Cruising Through The Good Book With Grannie Annie“, which has been used in churches across the country as well as Jamaica, New Zealand, Jerusalem and the Philippines.
Maryanne is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved Grandma Stringfellow, Sons Cecil Joe Gilmore and Kelly Len Gilmore and grandson Christopher Clark Gilmore. Brothers Cecil Louis Chambers, Glen Frank Chambers, Thomas Lee Chambers and sisters Lillie Ruth Dixon, Nina June Craig, Roberta Marie Llovet and Charlotte Jo Allan. She is survived by her husband of 71 years Billy Joe Gilmore. Sons Jimmy Gilmore and wife Vickie of Iowa Park, Kenny Gilmore of Kingston, Oklahoma, Billy Gilmore and wife Denise of Iowa Park. And daughter-n-law Debbie Gilmore of Iowa Park. Grandchildren include Cecil Jr., Angela, Hope, Kenny Jr., Kelly, Jason, Heather, Karlee, Bobbie, Lilah, Victor and Audrey. Also included are great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, many beloved nieces, nephews and friends who have also become family.
