Dorann Rawls

Dorann Rawls was born Dora Ione Burgess on March 15, 1938, in Eudora, Arkansas, to Jack and Verna Burgess. After World War II, the family relocated to Colorado City, Texas, where Dora graduated from high school in 1956. That same year, she married Marcus Brady; they were married ten years and had four children.

Over the next twenty-three years, she helped raise her children, had an active and interesting life, and legally changed her name to Dorann. She was a very gregarious person who loved dancing and socializing with all kinds of people. She valued her family contacts, and regularly corresponded with and visited relatives in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Illinois, and Indiana.

In 1989, Dorann met and married the love of her life, Giles Rawls. For over ten years, Dorann and Giles worked together in his insurance business, served actively at Second Baptist Church in Houston, and took many road trips all over the United States. After Giles’ retirement, they moved to Natchez, Mississippi, to 11 acres affectionately named Blueberry Hill. They harvested and shared bushels of blueberries with family and friends and were active members at First Baptist Church of Natchez. Giles died in 2009. Dorann stayed in Mississippi for several years, continuing to donate her time and talents – singing in the choir and sewing costumes for the church’s many productions. She had many good friends in Natchez.

Dorann and her family made the decision for her to return to Texas in 2014. Her son Benjamin spearheaded a project to acquire property in Magnolia, Texas, and build a new log home. Building the house turned out to be a true family project; her two sons – Ben and Shelby – and her brother-in-law, Jim Shaw, spent many hours helping to construct and wire the house. Dorann happily participated in the building process, painting and staining and project managing contractors as only she could. She moved into her new home in 2015 and joined First Baptist Church of Magnolia.

In 2022, Dorann decided to move into a senior living community in Houston. Due to progressively worsening problems with dementia, she progressed through several tiers of care, and eventually passed away on October 1, 2024, in Tomball, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Kay Shaw of Indianapolis, Indiana, and her husband, Giles Rawls.

Survivors include four children, Darla Lawson and Benjamin Brady of Magnolia, Texas, Shelby Brady and Amanda Brady of Houston, Texas; one “informally adopted” daughter, Jennifer Brady of New Braunfels, Texas; three grandchildren, Kallie Tyson of Houston, Wesley Brady of Plano, Texas, and Matthew Brady of Kingwood; one great-granddaughter, Emily Priester, of Houston; and three step-daughters, Denise Wardwell, Ellen Turnell, and Elizabeth Roberts, all of Houston.

A committal service for Dorann will be held Saturday, October 12, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.