Stella Daly McKeel of Presidio, 91, a member of a pioneer Presidio family, passed away Sunday, March 22, 2015 in Presidio.
Rosary will be at 7pm Wednesday, March 25 at Santa Teresa de Jesus Catholic Church in Presidio. Funeral Mass will be at 10am Thursday, March 26 at the church.
Stella McKeel
Stella was born in Presidio to Guadalupe and Fernando Daly on May 3, 1923. She attended the business college at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Belton, Texas. She worked in many fields.
At age 91, she continued to be a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker.
For many years, she owned and operated McKeel-Sanborn’s Travel Agency in Presidio, booking some of the first passenger train trips to Copper Canyon, Tarahumara country, Los Mochis, and Mazatlan, Mexico after the Chihuahua al Pacifico railroad was built through the rugged Sierra Madres in the 1960s.
Notably, she was a link trainer for the US Army Air Force in Albuquerque, NM, during World War II where she taught navigation.
She is survived by her sister, Jane Hueman of Reno, Nevada; two sons, John McKeel and his wife Gloria of Anthony, New Mexico, and Michael McKeel and his wife Susan of Parker, Colorado; a daughter, Cande McKeel Myers of Presidio; grandchildren, Nicole, JR, Nicholas, Sean, and Brandon; and a great-grandchild, Preston.
Stella was preceded in death by her parents, Guadalupe and Fernando; her sisters Imelda and Grace; and a brother, Fernando Jr.
Pallbearers are Nicole, JR, Nicholas, Sean, Brandon, and Preston.
Memorials may be made to Santa Teresa de Jesus Catholic Church, PO Box 949, Presidio, TX 79845.
Arrangements are under the direction of Pecos Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at pecosfuneralhome.com.