Dorothy J. Wells

Dorothy Janis Moore Wells was born on September 15, 1928 in Wewoka, Oklahoma. She was the 5th child of ten children born to Marvin McKinley Moore and Gladys Thelma Catlett Moore. She passed away Tuesday, October 4, 2011 in Austin, Texas.

She grew up and attended school in Edinburg, Texas, after high school she attended Business College in San Antonio.

In December of 1949, Dorothy met her future husband, Dwain in San Antonio while working as a long distance operator for southwestern Bell Telephone. They were married on May 6, 1950 at the First Baptist Church in San Antonio.

While living in San Antonio, Dorothy worked as a receptionist for Doctor Bloom. Because Dwain served in the Air Force, Dorothy and Dwain began a life of travel when they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1951. They headed to Maine in 1952, where Dorothy’s first child Lane was born. In 1955, they moved to Panama where her children, Bruce and Nancy were born. Next they went to Guatemala where they spent two years on mission duty as advisors to the Guatemalan Air Force. Returning to the U.S., they lived in Biloxi, Mississippi for one year and then moved to Austin where her youngest son Vance was born. From Austin, they headed north and spent five years in Minot, North Dakota. Winding down their lives in the Air Force, they spent one year in Blytheville, Arkansas and in 1969, they retired to Austin where she spent the remaining years of her life.

While traveling with the Air Force, Dorothy held several retail and office positions, in addition to raising four children. During the mid-1970’s she was employed as a master seamstress in alterations for Snyder Chenards, and later became a manager at Frost Brothers in Northcross Mall working with customers in the ladies hat and wig department.

Dorothy had several hobbies including square dancing, traveling and many different art crafts. She loved watching the soap operas and the Price is Right on television.

In the course of her life, Dorothy and her husband traveled to a total of 46 states and 6 foreign countries. She and Dwain enjoyed many trips in their RV during their 61 years of marriage.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and two sisters.

Her family circle consists of her loving husband, Dwain; her son, Lane and his wife, Johnnie, along with their son, Beau and his wife, Nicole; son, Bruce and wife, Cindy; daughter, Nancy and husband, Lee, along with their daughter, Ally; son, Vance and wife, Debbie; brother, Millard and his wife, Frances; brother, Pat and his wife, Edith; sister, Mildred and her husband, John; brother, Harold and wife, Nina; and brother Joe and wife, Brenda; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive family and friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, October 6, 2011 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, October 7, 2011 in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home with Reverend Don Long officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 8, 2011 at Rock Church Cemetery in Blanket, Texas with Pastor J.A. McDaniel of Faith Baptist Church in Brownwood, Texas officiating.