Vina Jeanette Strayhorn

Vina Jeanette Bass Strayhorn, 75, of Snyder, Texas, passed from this life on January 8, 2026, wrapped in the arms of her loving Savior. She was born November 25, 1950, in Amherst, Texas, to Harvey Lee Bass and Willie Marie Bingham Bass.

Vina graduated Valedictorian from Muleshoe High School in Muleshoe, Texas, in 1969. She continued that pattern of excellence throughout her life, earning her prerequisites for pharmacy school at Texas Tech University and continuing on to graduate Rho Chi from the University of Houston Pharmacy School in August, 1973.

While attending Tech, she met and fell in love with her future husband of fifty-two years. They met in chemistry lab. Vina married Thomas David Strayhorn on May 26, 1973, at the Primitive Baptist Church in Muleshoe, Texas. They were blessed with three children: Ellen Marie, Carol Vina, and David Lee Strayhorn.

Vina worked as a pharmacist for 47 years, with the majority of those years being at McWilliam's Pharmacy in Snyder, Texas. She was appointed to and served the Scurry County Health Unit as the advising pharmacist for many years. Vina retired in March of 2020. She lived a life of service to everyone around her. Her love of pharmacy began in the sixth grade because she knew how much this worthy profession could help others.

Vina joined the Muleshoe Primitive Baptist Church and was baptized when she was eight years old. She loved the Church with all of her heart. Her life of service was informed by her love for and dedication to the Primitive Baptist Church and the doctrines of grace.

Vina was a purpose-driven person in every aspect of her life. Every person who had the pleasure of knowing her felt the sincere love and support she had in her heart for them. The words of affirmation and encouragement she so freely gave to all she knew are some of what we remember and cherish the most about her.

Preceding Vina in death were her loving and much cherished parents, Harvey and Marie Bingham Bass; her greatly loved and equally cherished parents by marriage, David and Bamma Strayhorn; and her loving and revered sister and husband, Carolia and Ron Johnson. Vina was from a large and wonderfully loving family, and all of both her and her husband's aunts and uncles and their spouses were precious to her - all of whom preceded her in death. They all also loved their niece with a special love. Vina is also preceded in death by her wonderful friend, who she loved dearly, Melissa Rosson.

Remaining to cherish Vina's memory are her husband, Thomas David Strayhorn; children, Ellen Marie Strayhorn Musallam and husband Hisham Musallam of Plano, Texas, Carol Vina Strayhorn Rowell and husband Mark Rowell of Quitman, Texas, and David Lee Strayhorn and wife Katie Strayhorn of Snyder, Texas; grandchildren, Maya Hisham Musallam, Graham Jacob Thomas Rowell, David Imad Musallam, Henry Liam David Strayhorn, Kathryn Malie Rowell Howard and husband, Seth Howard, and Sarah Danielle Rowell and great-grandchildren, Adeline Malie Howard and Isaac Ronald Martin Howard; niece, Julia Marie Benitez and nephew, Eric Michael Johnson. She is also survived by lifetime friends who are like family, Marsha and Donnie Davis, Randy and Francie Farr, and Jim Rosson. Being from a large family with many cousins on both sides of the family, Vina is survived by many loving cousins who share memories to her youth.

Vina was an exceptionally spiritual person, and her church life was of ultimate importance. She loved her church, and she is survived by her loving brothers and sisters in Christ of the Snyder Primitive Baptist Church and in other churches across the state and country.

Also surviving Vina are our wonderful and faithful Australian friends, Sherry Runde and Lee Jefferson, who we met on a day trip in Barcaldine, Queensland, Australia, in 2017. We felt an immediate bond with each other, and since that time, we have become fast friends, visiting each other in both countries.

Being a pharmacist in Snyder for over 40 years, Vina valued her co-workers at McWilliams Pharmacy and patients as loved friends. Her profession was more than a profession to Vina: it was part of her mission in life. Her co-workers and hundreds of patients remember her lovingly.

The family also wishes to express their thanks and sincere appreciation to Hospice and the dedicated caregivers at Goodlife Memory Care Home, who tended Vina with loving and tender care - and gave her safe haven during her long and arduous journey with Alzheimer's disease.

Visitation will be held at Bell Cypert Seale Funeral Home in Snyder, Texas on Friday, January 16, 2026 from 6 to 7PM.

The funeral will be held at Bell Cypert Seale Funeral Home on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 10 AM. Burial will follow at Snyder Cemetery.Arrangements are under the direction of Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Snyder Primitive Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1342, Snyder, Texas 79550 or to The West Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association at alz.org.