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.
SUSAN BARTON
December 20, 2024 @ 3:03 pm
What a amazing lady she was. Prayers for peace and comfort.
Charlotte Lancaster Cochran
December 20, 2024 @ 6:31 pm
Noma had such a way of making you smile and laugh. I still remember her as the ‘older ladies’ of FCOG that left an impression in my life. Prayers for the family.
Vesta
December 20, 2024 @ 9:11 pm
Loved going to the Cafe with my grandfather. We would walk down from the drug store and Noma would have a piece of coconut cream pie waiting for us! Best ever. Praying for comfort to the family
Clarice
December 20, 2024 @ 9:56 pm
So sorry for your loss. Your family is in my prayers.
Amber(Cozort)Redburn
December 21, 2024 @ 9:31 am
Gary/Joyce and Families, and Lisa Brewer and Families,
Our Deepest Sympathy to the each of you on the passing of Noma. We have wonderful memories of her from when my Mother was a 3rd Grader and her parents too. Noma was a friendly, Christian woman who had a wonderful personality and a smile for miles. We enjoyed them living in our neighborhood and seeing them pass by the house going to the cafe. She will be missed! My parents and I will be keeping all of you in our daily prayers and thoughts. May God provide peace, comfort, strength, and encouragement to each of you at this time. May God bless all of you.
In Christian Love,
Norris & Ivene Cozort
Amber(Cozort)Redburn
Bud and Marie Nale
December 22, 2024 @ 9:07 am
She was a great lady. Everyone loved her who knew her.
Donna M Milstead
December 22, 2024 @ 5:17 pm
My deepest sympathy to Noma’s family. My earliest memory is of the Duncan family: Joe, Noma, Earlene, Earl, Paulin, Venira Lily and Amos. They were good friends, neighbors and we went to church together. Noma was lovely, hard working and talented. May her family find comfort in the life she lived and their wonderful memories of her.
Carrie Patillo Thompson
December 23, 2024 @ 5:05 pm
Our mother knew Noma and all the Duncan family. Her parents Johnny Roger’s and Delpha were close neighbors and their kids went to Mt Olive School together. Mom and Noma remained close friends until Mom died. Mom always wanted to go by Ozark Cafe and eat a slice of Nomas pie. I was always ready to go. Lovely lady. Prayers for all who knew Noma and loved her.