Myra Davis Banfield Dippel

DIPPEL, MYRA DAVIS BANFIELD (1918 ~ 2006). The following is an obituary for Myra Davis Banfield Dippel provided by Stewart Family Funeral Home of Tyler.

"Services for Myra Davis (Banfield) Dippel, 87, Tyler, are scheduled for 10:00 AM, Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at the Stewart family Funeral Chapel with Dr. Darryle W. Dunks officiating.

Burial will be 2:00 PM Thursday in Austin at the Texas State Cemetery.

Mrs. Dippel passed away Saturday, June 10, 2006 in Tyler.

She was born August 3, 1918 in Beasley, Texas in Fort Bend County to Sidney Holman and Sabra Grigg Davis.

Mrs. Dippel was a special lady with a great desire to serve the state of Texas and her country. She served as a State Representative from District 30 in the 57th and 58th Legislatures of Texas. In her first election campaign she ran as write-in candidate in Waller County which was one of the two counties her District 30 represented. Against all odds she won the election as a write-in candidate. Ten women candidates ran for the legislature in 1960 and Myra was the only woman who won.

The two terms she served were very eventful. The most important achievement to her was securing the funding for the Richmond State School in Fort Bend County. Also, in 1961, she was pleased to be appointed State Americanism Chairman by the American Legion Auxiliary. She urged voters in her district to attend the House Text Book Committee meetings during the summer to promote Americanism. After she retired from her active political career, she worked as a nurse, realtor, rancher, and as an oil and gas producer.

Mrs. Dippels life long interest was in genealogy. She was a member of the Daughters of the Confederacy, Colonial Dames and a forty year member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was proud to be a 7th generation Texan.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Neil Oscar Banfield and Herbert Dippel, brother, Cleddie Davis, and sister, Alice Cone.

Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Pamela Goldie Rosenthal and husband Vincent and daughter Kay Wright all of Tyler, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 PM, Tuesday at Stewart Family Funeral Home 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy., south Tyler 75703."

Further information available through the Texas State Cemetery research department.