Gelena Lynne Scoggins Bossier, 84, of Bryan, died Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 at her home, surrounded by family and friends.
Born in Leesville, La., on March 14, 1938, she was the daughter of Lawrence Hilary Scoggins and Mamie Essie Cole Scoggins. Gelena married Larry Scott Bossier on May 26, 1955.
Their early years of marriage were spent in Port Arthur, Texas, where Larry learned the car business. Together they moved and opened their first car dealership in Hearne, Texas, in 1967 and went on to own other dealerships across Texas in Richmond, El Campo, Cleveland, Seguin, and Hillsboro. Larry and Gelena and their family moved to Bryan in 1983 and opened Bossier Chrysler Dodge where she remained until she retired in 2005. She continued to live in Bryan for the remainder of her life and was a member of the Central Church of Christ where she was active for 40 years. Gelena served and supported the church’s North Belize Medical Mission and some of her best memories were going to Belize and working alongside her family and friends to help the people with medical needs.
Gelena had a passion for Texas A&M University and was an avid supporter of Aggie Athletics. Larry and Gelena could be found attending almost all Aggie football games, home or away, and rarely missed any basketball or baseball games. As active travelers, Larry and Gelena spent many years travelling the world as well as travelling all over North America in their RV, making new friends, and spreading love to everyone along the way. Gelena exhibited her love for people through the way she lived and was a giver of love to her family, friends, and all the people that came in contact with her through the years. In her later years, Gelena, or Gigi as she was known, could most often be found attending the countless events and activities of all her grandchildren and in true Gigi fashion, she became a huge part of the lives of many of their friends along the way. Gelena lived her life as a reminder to all that Christ died so that she and others could find forgiveness and rest eternally with Jesus in Heaven.
Gelena is preceded in death by the love of her life, Larry Scott Bossier; parents, Lawrence Hilary Scoggins and Mamie Essie Cole Scoggins; sisters, Margret Kay, Edna Earle Kay, and Lanell Johnson; and brothers, Myril Scoggins, Billy Scoggins, and Larry Scoggins.
She is survived by her son, Larry Scott Bossier II and his wife Rachel, and their four daughters, Bree, Brooke (husband Sterling and great-grandson Larry), Britain (husband Alex), and Braden; daughter, Susan Bossier and her son Ethan; daughter, April Dagley and her husband Jared and their children, Brendan, Rebecca, and Jaxson; brother, Burnell Scoggins and his wife Eva; sister-in-law, Carolyn Roe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation was Wednesday, March 1 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Hillier of Bryan. A Service was Thursday, March 2 at 2 p.m. at Central Church of Christ, 1600 E. 29th St, Bryan, Texas.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to N. Belize Medical Mission or St. Jude’s Hospital. Donations made to the respective charity may be forwarded to Central Church of Christ in Gelena’s name.