Delretha T. Randel

Delretha Taylor Randel was born to Calvin Wright Taylor and Mamie Dell Edwards Taylor on April 14, 1941 in Littlefield, Texas. She grew up in Littlefield and Krum, Texas, and Portales, New Mexico with her three younger brothers, Doug, Rick, and Jim.

The family moved to Vernon, Texas the summer before Delretha’s freshman year of high school, where she quickly became a popular student, being voted Class Favorite and Basketball Queen. After high school graduation, she attended North Texas State University, majoring in education, where she was an active and well-liked student as a dorm hostess, resident advisor, and member of the Campus Women’s Forum and Baptist Student Union. She spent summer breaks as a counselor at Camp Natoli and Camp Grady Spruce, where she served as Horse Wrangler. After graduating college, Delretha began her career in education teaching fifth grade at Browning Heights Elementary School in the Birdville Independent School District.

Delretha met Gary Randel in the summer of 1963 in Vernon after he caught her eye driving in his new Chevy Impala. They got married in Vernon on December 7, 1963, and together, they had two sons, Lawrence and Greg. In 1966, the family moved to Everman, where she would raise her boys and live for the rest of her life.

In 1969, Delretha started teaching in Everman ISD at Hommel Elementary School. Three years later, she was part of the faculty that founded Souder Elementary School in 1972. Delretha then returned to Hommel where she completed her teaching career. As an educator, Delretha was highly regarded, being awarded the Teacher of the Year at Hommel twice. She mentored young teachers and was a valued colleague. She took an active interest in her students and organized countless school field trips to the museum and zoo. After retiring from teaching in 2003, nothing pleased Delretha more than seeing and being remembered by a former pupil.

Throughout her life, Delretha served her community in many capacities: As a member of the Everman Youth Association, Everman Booster Club, Everman Garden Club, and as an Everman Library Volunteer. Following her husband’s death in 1995, she was a founding member of The Circle of Friends, a support group for people who have lost a spouse. Delretha was active in the Texas Retired Teacher’s Association and Everman Area Retired School Employees as a member and president for multiple terms. Her many years of service to the community were officially recognized when Delretha was awarded the Community Builder Award by the Deer Creek Masonic Lodge in 2016. She volunteered as a Casa Mañana usher and a driver for the golfers’ families at the Colonial Golf Tournament, and enjoyed line dancing, games, and classes at the Burleson Senior Center.

On Easter Sunday in 1972, Delretha and her family joined the First Baptist Church of Everman. She remained a faithful member for over 50 years, serving as a Sunday School teacher, youth leader, and on most church committees. It is undeniable that she loved the Lord and she loved her church family dearly.

Delretha was a beloved Nonna to her three grandchildren, Allison, Matthew, and Taylor, never hesitating to make a road trip to attend their soccer tournaments, football games, and school programs. She loved to travel, especially on large group trips: She visited 44 states, as well as Canada, Italy, Spain, and Costa Rica. She enjoyed celebrations of all kinds, including weddings, birthdays, lunch dates with friends, family reunions, and high school reunions. She loved any opportunity to visit with friends and family – always well turned out, lively, and outgoing. And if you knew her well, you may know that she was sometimes fashionably late. Delretha made new friends easily and cherished her old ones – perhaps the best way to describe Delretha’s personality is that she really just loved people.

Delretha is preceded in death by her husband Gary Randel, her parents Calvin and Mamie Taylor, and her younger brother, Rick Taylor. She is survived by her two sons Lawrence Randel and Greg Randel, daughter-in-law Cari Randel, three grandchildren Allison Randel, Matthew Randel, and Taylor Randel, two brothers Doug Taylor and Jim Taylor, three sisters-in-law Thresia Taylor, Kay Papajohn, and Kay Crider, three brothers-in-law Ricky Van Wilhelm, Roddy Wilhelm, and Richard Crider, and dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Delretha’s passing leaves an empty space in our lives, but we are comforted by the knowledge that she is with her Lord Jesus, no longer in pain, and reunited with many loved ones.

A visitation will be held at Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth, located at 7100 Crowley Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76134, on February 13, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The funeral service will take place at the same venue on February 14, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

Following the funeral service, a committal service will be held at an Everman Cemetery, 834 E Enon Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76140, on February 14, 2026, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.