"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

With a heavy heart, but peaceful acknowledgement that our God does all things well, Doris Elizabeth Stone Malm, of Fort Stockton, passed on to a better life on Monday, October 2nd, 2023, at the age of 98 years old. She was just 15 days shy of her 99th birthday.

Doris was a native of Fort Stockton, although she was born on October 17, 1924, at the family farm of her maternal grandparents, Daniel Owen Bailey and Beulah Bennett in Midland County, Texas. She was the first child of Charlie Coleman Stone and Bessie Rachel Bailey Stone of Fort Stockton, Texas.

At an incredibly early age, Doris discovered two life-long passions - reading and art. She enjoyed many hobbies using these talents and could have been anything she wanted, and she chose to be an amazing wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Our mother was our most important teacher. She had extremely high ethics and expected us to exhibit such. She taught us how to rise out of the darkness of grief and loss, to reclaim life's beauty, to chose happiness and joy. She taught us how a woman can grow and evolve across her lifetime collecting bits of wisdom along the way. She gave us an appreciation for poetry and prose, insisting that we read "good" books. She taught us to cherish our own strength and to always value our heritage of West Texas stubbornness. She taught us by the way she lived life. Most importantly, she taught us about Jesus and His love. What special memories we have! We will miss her presence; we will miss her voice and her smile, but we will always have her love.

After her graduation ceremony from Fort Stockton High School on May 22, 1942, she married her high school sweetheart, Arvid Malm. They were married 46 years when Arvid passed away on December 21, 1988. After graduation from this earthly life, Arvid will be waiting at the gates of heaven for her.

Also preceding her death were her little sister, Helen who died in infancy, her grandson, Douglas Ray Smith, her sisters-in law, Ruth Malm and Wanda Stone, and her nephew, Dayle Stone.

Survivors include her daughters, Linda Smith and husband Tommy, Katy McKenzie and husband Dean; three grandchildren, Tamara Schulz and husband Grant, Cole McKenzie and wife Mia, Holly Jacobs and husband Max; nine great grandchildren, Dylan, Peyton, Todd and wife Kelsey, Ian, Luke, Seth, Noelle, Jack and Sam; and two great-great granddaughters Ella and Sunny. Also surviving is her brother James Stone and nieces Suzanne and Cindy.

The family suggests that memorial gifts be given to First Christian Church 200 S. Rio or to the Pecos County Public Library, 500 N. Water or to a favorite charity.

There will be a family memorial service at a later date.

"Life doesn't come with a manual; it comes with a mother."