Lela Joyce

Gindratt

In Loving Memory of Lela Joyce Gindratt

February 14, 1939 – November 11, 2026

Lela Joyce Gindratt was born on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1939, to Luther Thomas Vaughan and Ruby Lorraine Faucett Vaughan. She was the youngest of six children, growing up in a family deeply rooted in the land and traditions of a family ranch that had been in her mother’s family for generations.

Her father, a World War I veteran, returned home after his service to the farm and ranch, where Lela would spend some of the happiest and most formative years of her life.

Growing up on the ranch was anything but ordinary. Sometimes she rode a horse to school, and she developed a love for basketball. A tomboy at heart, Lela was happiest by her father’s side. Whether working cattle, tending to ranch chores, or catching fish in the creek for supper, she embraced the life of the ranch. She loved the outdoors, the animals, and the independence that came with country living. The land was more than a place she called home; it was where her heart belonged.

After graduating from high school, Lela married Raymond Gindratt and moved to Pasadena, Texas. There, she worked for a time as a secretary at an insurance agency. Together, they welcomed one son, Christopher Brooks Gindratt.

Raising Christopher and seeing him through high school became one of the most important missions of her life. Once that chapter was complete, Lela followed her heart back home to the ranch.

There, she and Raymond settled into the simple life she had always loved. After Raymond’s passing in 2002, Lela continued to call the ranch home, remaining close to the land and the memories that had shaped her life.

One of the special relationships in Lela’s life was with her sister Alice Mae, who also lived on the property. Alice Mae loved Lela dearly and looked after her with the devotion of a mother. Like sisters everywhere, they had their disagreements and their moments of fighting, but beneath it all was a deep and enduring love. Their bond was one of those special relationships that only sisters can truly understand.

Those who knew Lela will remember her kindness and her ever-present sense of humor. She always had a laugh to share and a way of making the ordinary moments of life a little sweeter.

For her family, some of the sweetest memories were made right there on the ranch. One particularly cherished memory was Lela driving around the property in the old Jeep, searching for family members and bringing along popsicles tucked into a bag of ice to keep them from melting in the middle of a hot Texas summer. There were also the occasional fishing trips together, making memories that will last a lifetime. These simple gestures were Lela’s way of showing love, and they are the moments that will be remembered most.

On November 11, 2026, Veterans Day, Lela passed away with her son by her side, in the loving care of Madisonville Care Center. Her family is deeply grateful to the wonderful staff at Madisonville Care Center and the hospice caregivers who provided her with kindness, compassion, and loving care during her final days. Their dedication will never be forgotten.

Lela was preceded in death by her parents, Luther Thomas Vaughan and Ruby Lorraine Faucett Vaughan; her husband, Raymond Gindratt; and her five beloved sisters: Lois Vaughn, Evelyn Robeson, Josephine Wiley, Alice Mae Burrows, and Wanda June Wilburn.

She is survived by her beloved son, Christopher Brooks Gindratt, along with extended family and loved ones who will carry her memory forward.

Lela’s life was not measured by the things she accumulated or the places she traveled. It was measured by the people she loved, the family she cherished, the life she built, and the land she never stopped calling home.

She was a ranch girl at heart, a daughter who loved her father, a mother devoted to her son, a sister who shared a lifetime of memories, and a woman who ultimately found her way back to where she belonged.

The ranch was always home, and the land always held her heart.

May she rest peacefully, reunited with those who went before her, and forever remembered by those who loved her.

A graveside service celebrating Lela's life, will be held 11 A.M., Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. Pastor Allen Crosby will officiate the service..

Final arrangements are under the direction of Walters Funeral Home, Centerville, Texas -- A Walters Family Funeral Home.