Doris K Beer

Doris Kimball Merritt Beer, age 103, of Dallas, Texas, passed away January 13, 2016. Doris was born September 25, 1912, in Beaconfield, Iowa, to Clarence and Bertha Kimball. Later, her family moved to Des Moines, where she joined Forest Avenue Baptist Church and graduated from North High. In 1937, she married Arthur Merritt, also of Des Moines and moved to Dallas, Texas, where her husband started the Southwestern Insurance Company. During her marriage to Art, Doris continued her needlework and became an accomplished seamstress and cook. They joined Gaston Avenue Baptist Church and enjoyed the fellowship of monthly supper clubs. She was preceded in death by Art in 1961. After the death of her husband Art, Doris took employment with the Baptist Foundation from which she retired in 1977.

In 1963, she married Jacob (Jake) Beer, formerly of Roanoke, Illinois. During her marriage to Jake, she enjoyed cooking for her many friends and relatives, sewing, and traveling. In addition to her seventy plus years of membership in Gaston Avenue Baptist Church (subsequently Gaston Oaks Baptist Church), she was also a member of Sarah Priscilla Sunday School Class, the Rejebain Book Club and the Sunny Side Up Club.

Doris will be remembered for the beauty and grace of her person and home, her radiant smile and joyous laugh, her gracious and positive attitude, thoughtfulness of others, skilled domestic artistry in needlework, sewing, and cooking, and her abiding spirit of gratitude to the Lord for His provision and care for her throughout her considerable years.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, Leo and Margaret; and her two husbands.

She is survived by nephew, Jeffrey Kimball, Sr.; grandnephew, Jeffery Kimball, Jr.; grandnieces Melinda Kimball-Gerritson and Mary Kimball; and friend Linda Kimball, all formerly of Des Moines, Iowa. Additionally, she is survived by nephews, Jan Beer of Columbus, Georgia, and Perry Tibbetts of St. Petersburg, Florida; nieces, Kathryn Beer Beighley, Barbara Mouser of Waxahachie, Texas, Kay Phillips of St. Petersburg, Florida, Betty Franklin of Brookings, South Dakota, Jody Davison of Green Valley, Arizona, Marjorie Rice of Chandler, Arizona, and Marietta Aufterneer of Dallas, Texas; and many other grandnieces and grandnephews and great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. Visitation will be held Saturday, January 16, 2016, at 1 p.m. at Sparkman/Crane Funeral Home, with the funeral service following at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Doris’ memory to Dallas Life Homeless Ministries at www.dallaslife.org.