Guest Feature: Donley native still spry at 102

By Dennis Kirk Knowles as told by Edna DeBord Dishman

On November 25, 1992 just before Thanksgiving, it was like any other day. Edna DeBord Dishman shared 59 years of her life with her husband, Elmer Dishman. She married Elmer at 22 after being courted on horseback by her admirer. The couple experienced the great depression, World War II with seasons of droughts and times of prosperity.

I remember a quote by Edna, “No one knows when they walk out the door in the morning, if they will ever walk back through that door in the evening” and this was the case on that cold day in November. Elmer and Edna were driving to Amarillo when they were involved in a car wreck. Edna suffered a broken jaw and five broken ribs. Elmer lost his life. After this tragedy, Edna would wake up in the middle of night realizing she was all alone. One night, she finally said, okay Lord I give it all over to you for I cannot go on like this anymore. This is when things began to change for this 82-year-young lady. Edna shared that this was a turning point of her life and the beginning of a new chapter.

Edna went to Salt Lake City after looking at a condo with her son, Keith Dishman. She was visiting her daughter, Ann Reeve. Edna spent this time reflecting on her life and meditating on direction from God. Before traveling to Utah, Edna was considering leaving Clarendon, Texas, and starting a new life in Dallas Texas. This would be Edna’s biggest Leap of Faith leaving Donley County where she had lived for over 80 years. Edna started unpacking her suitcases after arriving back to Clarendon from Utah. The phone rang and it was someone wanting to buy her house. This was an answer to prayer. She felt like there was a bigger plan for her life and dove into the waters of uncertainty, head first. Edna sold the household items and started this new adventure at the age of 85.

As Edna settled into her 7th floor condo overlooking the vast expanse of trees along Turtle Creek in Dallas, she quickly made friends with her new community. I walked through her high rise, recently, and mentioned her name to varied tenants. The faces lit up saying how she was such an inspiration and friend. Edna is a stranger to no one as she shares her faith and pearls of wisdom. Some of her neighbors will see her in the gym as she works out on the treadmill each day.

In her nineties, Edna and other contributors helped renovate the Parlor at her Methodist church in Dallas. She also helped in implementing a wireless system, in which, individuals with hearing impairments could be able to hear the service during church.

At 100, Edna felt a need to be a part of a production entitled, “It Gets Better.” This was a national campaign to encourage teens not to give up on life from the abuse of bullying. Her heartfelt words of encouragement are still being heard to this day. There was a young man she mentored who had thoughts of suicide and desperation. Through her tenacity and love, he found his calling in life. Edna stated, love is the key to everything and she has lived by this motto all of her life.

When Edna was 101, she and some other durable saints started an intercessory prayer meeting at Grace United Methodist in Dallas. Edna is a strong believer in the power of prayer. She said one of her keys to a long, successful life is when she wakes up in the morning her thoughts and prayers are on others and not herself. Another key she shared is to not live in fear. She stated, “When I came to earth, I was sent on a mission and life will continue until the work is done, so fear has no room to exist. It is God’s Will, not mine.”

One of Edna’s greatest desires was to have a blond hair, blue eyed grand baby. At 101, she was able to experience this. Her great grandson, Austin Craig and wife had a son, Jackson Reeves Craig. Edna held her blue eyed, blond hair great, great grandson on a recent trip to Salt Lake City, Utah.

In parting, Edna reflected as she looked across the trees of Turtle Creek in Dallas. She stated, “Life is like a season, you see all the buds on a plant, it becomes a flower. The seasons change, the flowers fall. The leaves begin to turn red, yellow, brown, and orange. As the leaves fall, they all come together and the snow covers them in the winter season. Well, this is how life goes. There is a time to live and there is a time to die. Fear will never dwell in my heart for Heaven is my home.” One of her favorite bible verses is Luke 12:1-4. It states, “In my Father’s house there are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you so, where I am there you will be also.”