Beverly Anderson Dorsey

Beverly Anderson Dorsey On December 13, 2006, Beverly Anderson Dorsey died peacefully, surrounded by her family. Beverly was a devoted wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend and will be greatly missed by all who loved her. She considered her marriage and family to be the greatest achievements in her long and full life. Born September 9, 1916 to Nita Martin Anderson and Grantland Nathaniel Anderson in Dallas Texas, she married Leon Bronson Dorsey (Huck) on November 20, 1942 and quickly adopted two of her passions: the Episcopal Church and the Texas Longhorns. Together they had two sons: Leon Bronson Dorsey, Jr and Grantland Rawls Dorsey. Beverly and Huck shared a special love of classical music and their home was always full of music. Beverly attended SMU and held a BA in Music Education from Texas State College for Women and she was teaching music in Port Arthur, Texas when she first met Huck on the night before Pearl Harbor, 1941. Beverly played the organ in many of the churches they attended over the years and took special delight in her Wednesday Morning Music Club, the Westminster Manor Choir, and her PEO group. After Huck’s death in 2001, she would play their favorite songs on the piano for hours to feel close to him. Beverly was a dedicated cook and enjoyed trying new recipes and entertaining friends and family. She started many Dorsey food traditions including: Saturday hamburgers and bloodymarys served every week at their Lakeway home; boiled shrimp and lemon meringue pie served for Huck’s birthday; and German chocolate cake served for her sons’ birthdays. Beverly was also an avid gardener and meticulously tended plants inside and outside of her homes. She passed on to her sons a love of plants, nature, and the outdoors. Beverly recently celebrated her 90th birthday with a party of over 100 of her family and friends. A highlight of the day was a sing-a-long of popular songs from the 30’s and 40’s. Those in attendance had been fortunate to enjoy another of Beverly’s thoughtful traditions; a telephone serenade of Happy Birthday each year on their birthday. We will all miss those calls and will think of her on our birthdays. Beverly is survived by her son Leon Bronson Dorsey, Jr., his wife Cathryn Seymour Dorsey and their sons Andrew Seymour Dorsey and Clayton Anderson Dorsey, of Austin; son Grantland Rawls Dorsey and his wife Anita Roper Dorsey of Marble Falls, their daughters Sara Michelle Dorsey and Amber Nicole Dorsey, and great grandson Gabriel Rawls Davis, of Killeen. A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, December 17th at St. David’s Episcopal Church, at 7th and Brazos in Austin. In lieu of flowers, donations in Beverly’s name may be sent to St. David’s Episcopal Church, Music Endowment Fund/ 704 E. 7th Austin, TX 78701.