Doris Swanner-Black

Doris Swanner-Black passed away peacefully on February 24, 2021 in Dallas. She was born on December 26, 1935 to Benjamin “Buck” and Lucille Mathis in Maud, Texas.

She loved God, her family, her churches, nursing, traveling, airplanes, and riding motorcycles. She lived life to the fullest and had many passions, from helping others, entertaining, volunteering, and staying healthy. It didn’t matter if it was an adventure or trying new things, she was all-in and full-speed ahead. She was very involved in her churches, the Mt. Pleasant Church of God of Prophesy / Family Worship and the Northeast Texas Bikers Church. In 1951 Doris married Devon Swanner in Houston

In 1951 Doris married Devon Swanner in Houston and they had two children, Evella and Devon Lee. She received her nursing degree from El Centro in Dallas and worked at Baylor Hospital until they moved to Mt. Pleasant in 1974. Doris worked at East Texas Medical Center in Pittsburg until her retirement. During her time at ETMC, she worked the ER and in the later years she traveled around checking blood pressures at local banks and Meals on Wheels. In 1990 Doris was named “Woman of The Year” in Pittsburg, which she was so proud of – especially since she did not even live there. After her retirement, she began teaching CPR certification classes and everyone always enjoyed how she made them so pleasant. Doris always said she was born to be a nurse. As a child she would cut out paper dolls from the Sears & Roebuck catalog, and she always cut out the nurses. She accredits her inspiration and passions to be a nurse from her grandmother, who was a mid-wife.

Doris accomplished many goals in her life – in her 30’s she was taking Karate, in her 40’s she was riding horses, and at 50 she was jet skiing across Lake Bob Sandlin and parasailing in Mexico. She also discovered she had a passion for weightlifting and set a goal to bench press her body weight, and of course she did it. In her 60’s she tried her hand at flying airplanes, there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t try. In her 70’s she found her latest passion, riding motorcycles and even bought herself a red Harley Trike. She also discovered a whole new adventure with camping, riding 4-wheelers and kayaking - she was constantly on the go and never let her age slow her down. As she rode into her 80’s, the adventures didn’t stop. Doris was flying in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon and volunteering as a Pink Lady at Titus Regional Medical Center. Doris cared about the overall health of people and wanted to make them smile so she started performing skits as Patsy Cline to nursing homes and to various organizations, and when she pulled a golf club out of her blouse, the audience always smiled with amazement. While making people smile was important, their overall spiritual condition was her true passion. She began attending a weekly group with other Christians who would join in prayer around the downtown courthouse to lift up our community in praying for the hearts of the lost.

During her many adventures, she traveled the world – going to China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Greece, Bahamas, Canada, Virgin Islands, Mexico, Italy, and twice to Alaska and Israel.

Doris will be remembered by many. If you knew her, you were probably in her home at some time, either at one of her annual homemade ice cream parties, swimming in her pool, at a dinner party, to check out her exercise room, or just coming in to take a peek at Santa in the bathtub. Her doors were always open, and she loved to share her home and heart with everyone she met. Doris had a deep faith in God and always had a smile on her face. She never met a stranger, and she never complained.

After being married to her husband Devon for 57 years, Doris became a widow. Her strong faith in God kept her moving forward, and in 2012 she remarried Doyle Black and her family grew even larger.

Doris is survived by her loving family, husband Doyle Black; daughter, Evella and Ronnie Wheat of Mt. Pleasant and daughter-in-law Kathy Swanner of Mt. Pleasant; her granddaughters DeAnna and Kevin McDowell of McKinney, Stacie and Heith Hairrell of Mt. Pleasant and Michelle and Matt Laden of Leesburg; great-grandchildren Tanner Wheat, Payden and Logan McDowell; two great great-grandchild and many nieces and nephews. Also, her bonus family, Patrice and Billy Tidwell, Jesse Black and Maria Hart and James Black; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Buck and Lucille Mathis; husband, Devon Swanner; Son, Devon Lee Swanner, Sister, Dorothy Mathis and Cora Smith; Brother, Obed Mathis.

A Visitation was held on Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Highland Park Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant. A Celebration of Life was held for Doris on Friday, February 26, 2021 at 10:00 AM at Highland Park Baptist Church with burial to follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Pittsburg. Services are under the direction of Bates-Cooper-Sloan Funeral Home.

An online registry is available at batescoopersloanfuneralhome.com.

“My death will be a promotion” was something she always told her family. She strongly expressed that her death is to be a celebration party, and not a sad occasion. Growing up with parents who were ministers, she always had a peace about going home. As we celebrate the life of Doris Swanner-Black, though we will miss her dearly, she hoped for all of us to truly know that this is her final and ultimate adventure.