Maggie Cordella "Della"Allison entered this earthly life on November 27,1929 born to Forest Anderson and Mary Myrtle (Potts) Swindell and entered the Gates of Heaven on March 22, 2017 in Dallas, Texas at the age of 87.

Born and raised in Colbert, Oklahoma, Della graduated from Colbert High School and later at the age of 18, married the love of her life, Hershell Allison on January 31, 1948, after meeting on a blind date. After moving around the country for a short period Hershell and Della settled on a little farm just north of Fort Worth, Texas and were blessed with three children. Della worked for several years as a bookkeeper and payroll clerk for Ashland Oil on the north side of Fort Worth. After raising their children, they retired and returned to Durant. They took great pride in the gardens they had in Fort Worth and Durant and made a great team with Hershell tending the garden and Della making jams, jellies and canning the fruits and vegetables. She perfected her mother's recipe for pear preserves, Hershell's favorite and was famous (especially amongst visiting preachers invited to Sunday dinner) for her blackberry cobbler.

Della was a loyal and dedicated member of Western Meadows Baptist Church. She was a wonderful cook and loved feeding her home family and church family. Della enjoyed crocheting, a skill she taught her granddaughters. She loved to read, sew and work crossword puzzles. She was a devout Southern Baptist Christian and loved the Lord and her church family. But most of all, she treasured and dearly loved her sweet home family.

Della is survived by her children, daughter Vicki Holland and husband Victor of Houston, TX., sons Hershell Allison, Jr. of Fort Worth, TX. and John Patrick Allison and husband Michael Jameson of Arlington, TX; granddaughters, Jessica Vaden (Paul), Tory Ellis (David), Jordan Cunningham and Jentry Cunningham; grandsons, Joshua Jameson and Jeremy Jameson; 3 great grandchildren; Jett and Ezra Vaden and James Ellis; numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

Della was preceded in death by her husband, Hershell Allison, Sr.; parents, Champ and Myrtle Swindell; brothers, Dick Swindell, Buddy Swindell and Bub Swindell; sisters, Mary Italy Perkins, Loretha Ferea, and Ruth Bartholomew.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Western Meadows Baptist Church in Durant, Pastor Cole Newton will officiate. Interment will follow in Cedarlawn Memorial Park.