Noma Ida Gabel

Funeral services for Noma Ida Gabel, 102, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 23, 2024, at the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.    

Mrs. Gabel passed away Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at West Vue Green House Homes. 

She was born August 28, 1922, at Elijah, Missouri, to Amos Duncan and Lily Owens Duncan.  On June 9, 1944, she was married at St. Louis, Missouri, to Charles Virgil Gabel, who preceded her in death on September 3, 2005.  Noma and her husband, Virgil owned and operated the Ozark Café for fifty-nine years.  She was well known for baking over a quarter of a million pies and baking fresh bread every day.  Noma enjoyed going to yard sales every weekend; she loved talking and getting to know people.  She never met a stranger and had a very outgoing and colorful personality.  After she retired, she volunteered at the West Plains Senior Center and was very involved in the community.  She held Women of Church of God meetings at her home every week and was a member of the Red Hat Society.  Mrs. Gabel was a long time member of First Church of God.

She is survived by two children, Gary Gabel and wife, Joyce and Lisa Brewer; seven grandchildren, Jeff Gabel and wife, Jennifer, Grant Gabel, Chris Kirkland, Loni Ellis and husband, Chet, Leslie Harris and husband, Joel, Stacie Gabel and Lynsie Upton and husband, Chris; eighteen great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Earlene Freeman; and many nieces and nephews. 

Her parents, husband, two brothers, Joe Duncan and Earl Duncan, two sisters, Pauline Kutz and Venita Roth and one son-in-law, Kelly Brewer, preceded her in death.  

Visitation services will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m., Sunday, at the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to West Plains Senior Center and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.