Bobbie Ames' Obituary
Our beloved Mother, Bobbie Ames passed away peacefully on October 18th.
Bobbie was born on August 7, 1936, in Houston, a fifth generation Texan, to Opal Francis Durbin (Honey) and Robert Nelson.
She had three daughters, Melody Henderson, Cynthia Morris, (Jeff) and Brenda Ames, all survivors.
Bobbie was very proud of her five grandchildren, Clifton Henderson, Michael Henderson, Alexandra Sinclair, Sam Morris and Grace Morris. She was in awe of her great grandchildren Riley, Michael, Alex, McKinlea, Owen, Miles and Mason.
She was predeceased by her children’s father, Donald Ames, and her second husband, James Watkins, and her “adopted” sister Bobbie Heisler, from her mother’s nursing home.
Bobbie’s greatest loss was the deaths of her sister, Betty Nelson Chambliss, and her brother Don Nelson, over 20 years ago.
Her Hobbies were fishing and traveling. Having lived in Panama two years, her interest in seeing the world was awakened. She visited 58 countries, two behind the Iron Curtain, and was happy to find people were basically wonderful everywhere she went. She worked for the Adjutant General in Panama, taking disciplinary hearings by the old Gregg Shorthand method. Returning home, she worked for Shell Oil and attended court reporting school in Chicago. She was a court reporter for 58 years, 55 of them with her own firm. Over a two-year period, she personally interviewed and reported 49 life stories of WWII veterans that are filed in the Library of Congress.
Bobbie saw 7 wonders of the world but truly thought the human body was the greatest wonder of all. She never ceased learning new things and appreciating education as the basis for success.
She also rescued and fostered many dogs over the years.
Bobbie was very grateful for her friend Javier Martinez and six of the truly best girlfriends in the country.
While wade fishing in Galveston, many years ago, a bottle with a note inside floated right up to her. It was from a Vietnamese female sailor, on a German ship off the coast of Africa. She kept it in her office to remind her that right around the corner, or the next day, there was always a happy surprise waiting to happen in this wonderful time God gave us called life.
A private service will be held November 9, 2024 at 11:00. Bobbie asked in lieu of flowers, donations be made to WWF, Friends of the Galapagos, or any other animal fund.
What’s your fondest memory of Bobbie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Bobbie?
Share a story where Bobbie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Bobbie you’ll never forget.
How did Bobbie make you smile?
