Inell Cogburn

Inell Cogburn, 99, of Throckmorton, TX, passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side on Saturday, October 15, 2016. A funeral service will be held at 2 pm, Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Peter Parker officiating. Burial will follow the service at the Throckmorton Cemetery under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes. A visitation will be from 6 pm to 7pm, Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at the funeral home, 107 N Austin, Throckmorton, TX.

Inell was born October 1, 1917 on the Howsley Ranch five miles southeast of Throckmorton. Her parents were Vada Dunlap and Elmer Dunlap. She has lived all of her life in Throckmorton except a few years when she was very young and lived in Comanche County with her parents. She had one brother, Lyndon Dunlap, who was born in 1927 on the Jack Wright Ranch.

Inell first attended school at Bush Knob. Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Condron were teachers. Her mother had to carry her to school, as it was 7 miles from her home and too far to walk. Later a school restarted at Sasson Branch about a mile from where she lived. Mrs. Fanny Floy Marrs was the teacher. She went to school in Throckmorton for four years and lived in town at a boarding house, as there were no school buses. Inell graduated from Throckmorton High School in 1935. She wanted to be a nurse but times were hard and her father was sick a lot and she didn't like staying away from home.

On July 24, 1938, Inell and Bill Bird, son of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Bird, were married at Eliasville, Texas. Bill had two brothers, Joe and Truett. Inell and Bill lived their first four years on the place where she was born. In the early spring of 1942, they bought the Walter Fant farm five miles south on the Albany–Breckenridge highway.

On October 30, 1941, Barbara Ann was born. Six years later on February 2, 1948, Ralph Baxter was born.

On December 4, 1948, a Dupont nitroglycerin truck exploded in front of their house. They were thankful none of the their family was hurt; however, the truck driver and Mr. Willis Buchanan who was coming down the road in a pick-up truck were killed. As a result of the damage to their house, they built a new home.

Their family attended the First Baptist church of Throckmorton and Bill was ordained a deacon in December of 1956.

On August 1, 1959, they were planning a family boating trip. Bill was plowing a small plot of ground and he was badly burned when his tractor exploded. Bill was flown to Galveston, Texas, where he died six days later. That fall, Inell moved the house into town in the Ballard addition so she, Barbara and Ralph could be closer to school, church, family and friends who were a great comfort to them.

In June of 1960, Inell found herself with nothing to do. The L.V.N. School of Nursing at the Throckmorton County Hospital was starting a class and Inell still had the dream becoming a nurse. Mrs. Geo Blackburn was the instructor. This was a career that she enjoyed for twenty years working in the hospital, nursing home and private duty.

Inell and Quein B. Cogburn married on July 10, 1963. Quein's first wife, Emma Jo, had died in 1960. Inell and Quein had been neighbors in farming and had known each other all of their lives. Quein and Emma Jo had two daughters, Nancy and Polly who currently reside in the Houston area with their families.

Inell and Quein farmed and ranched. After Inell retired from nursing, she loved to help with the cattle and farming. Inell was a wonderful cook and hosted many family gatherings and celebrations.

She is survived by her son, Ralph Bird and wife Donna of Throckmorton, TX; daughter, Barbara Bird of Wichita Falls, TX, and two step-daughters, Polly Nickles and husband Joel of Richmond, TX, and Nancy Peterson and husband Homer of Houston, TX; one grandson, Biggs Bird and wife Jami of Fort Worth, TX, three granddaughters, Mandy Bird Phalen and husband Mark of Frisco, TX, Sarina St. Andre and husband Josh of Collinsville, OK, and Rosalie Gaddy and Aaron Docktor of Seymour, TX; nine great-grandchildren, Hannah, Olivia, Chase, Zoey, Luke, Aiden, Salem, Adilynn and Remi.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Vada and Elmer Dunlap; husband Bill Bird; husband Quein Cogburn; and brother Lyndon Dunlap.

The family is so grateful for Dia Scrogum, TLC Home Health Care and Solaris Hospice. You have all been such a tangible example of God's love.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks for donations to be made to the Throckmorton Senior Citizen Center or First Baptist Church of Throckmorton.