Bruce Nell Gooler's Obituary
Bruce Nell Gooler, 95, who had lived in Longview, Texas the last six years but always considered San Antonio her true home, passed away on June 5, 2026. She was born on January 23, 1931, in Stockdale, Texas, to Louis Henry Hoermann and Ella Mae Hoermann. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years, Col. Darrel L. Gooler, as well as her parents.
A proud Texan through and through, Bruce Nell graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio in 1948, where she was a member of the Yemesee Sorority and Lassos Drill Team. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity University in San Antonio in 1951 and a Master of Arts Degree in Drama from the University of Texas at Austin in 1953.
Bruce Nell lived a rich life defined by adventure, service, intellectual curiosity, and a deep love for people. She possessed a wonderful sense of humor and spent many hours thoughtfully crafting the perfect way to express herself, often declaring it “call it by its right name day.” She loved people and hearing their life stories — she rarely met a stranger. Her genuine warmth and interest in others drew people to her wherever she went.
As a devoted Army wife, she supported her husband’s career while holding numerous leadership positions in Army wives’ clubs at stations across the country and abroad. She embraced cultures of the world with open arms. As newlyweds in Kumamoto, Japan, she witnessed the 508th Airborne Regimental Combat Team officially turn control of Camp Wood over to the Japanese government, marking the end of the unit’s occupational duties in the region. In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the family lived for two years during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie, she worked alongside Sister Mary Gabriel ministering to those afflicted with leprosy.
Bruce Nell was deeply patriotic and committed to preserving history. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and served as Chairman of the Alamo Mission Chapter Library Committee. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She is survived by her daughter, Shelby Lee Snell and husband Michael William Snell; grandson Andrew Darrel Snell and wife Rachel Saunders Snell, and their children Raylan and Isaac; granddaughter Katherine Lee Snell Hamilton and wife Kristina Hamilton, and their children Chloe and Killian.
Bruce Nell was laid to rest next to her husband in Stockdale, Texas.
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