Iva Willmyra (Willie) Roberts Doan of Colcord, Oklahoma, devoted mother and grandmother, passed away January 4, 2021 at the age of 92. She was born on December 3, 1928 to Martin Luther Roberts and Annie Ola (Stanley) Roberts in Trinity, Texas.
Willie spent most of her childhood in Woodville, Texas. During her early teenage years, her family moved to Galveston, Texas, where she learned to skate and spent many hours at the roller rink. Eventually, Willie worked at American National Insurance where she was employed until her marriage. After WWII, a friend of her family from childhood, Mildredge (Mill) Doan, the love of her life, came calling and the two married in May of 1950 in Houston, where they made their home. To her delight, she became a housewife and was a wonderful housekeeper and cook, her house always open for family and friends to visit. In the spring of 1952, they welcomed a son, Larry, and three years later, a daughter, Janet. In early 1960, God called Mill home suddenly and unexpectedly and she was left to raise two young children on her own.
In 1973, she had the opportunity and moved the family near her sister in Huntsville, Texas where she lived for over 40 years. During that time, she worked at the library on the campus of Sam Houston State University until she retired in 1994. Willie loved to travel with family and did so every chance she got both before and after retirement. Her travels included places such as New York City, Alaska, Washington D.C. and many other places in between. Retirement was good for her. She enjoyed the slower pace of living and being surrounded by family and friends. Willie was content and at her happiest when the whole family was together. Her joy came from spending time studying her Bible and singing hymns. Oh, how she loved to worship her Lord in song!
At the age of 82, she became a great grandmother, a title she cherished. That baby gave her encouragement, a reason for living and helped her survive a bout with cancer. Willie loved him more than life itself and took every opportunity to be with him, brag on him and show off his picture. She lived in her home in Huntsville until her health started failing, and in 2015 moved in with her daughter and son-in-law in North Texas. A few years later, when they moved to Oklahoma, Willie moved with them, and later resided at Quail Ridge Nursing Center until her death.
Willie is survived by her son, Larry Doan and wife, Jeana of Pflugerville, Texas; daughter, Janet McNatt and husband, Hank of Colcord, Oklahoma; granddaughter, Bonnie Olivier and husband, John; great-grandson, Nicholas Olivier, all of Plugerville, Texas; bonus grandson, David McNatt and wife Kelly, and their children, Morgan, Meghan and Madden of England; brother, Vernon Roberts and wife Jody of Las Cruces, New Mexico; sister, Mary and husband, Calvin Flowers of Belton, Texas; sister-in-law, Joyce (Doan) Conley of Bowie, Texas; sister-in-law, Doris (Doan) Coleman of Trinity, Texas; and sister-in-law, Tina Doan Skidmore of Palestine, Texas; and numerous other loving family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Mildredge Doan; parents, Luther and Annie Roberts; brother, William Wallace Roberts; and sisters Fairiba Turner, Glenn Heil, and Eva Witcher.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, Texas 77023.