Dorothy Grell Bethea

Born in Hondo, Texas, in 1926, to Louis and Bertha Grell, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Dorothy Lee “Grell” Bethea went to be with the Lord on December 30, 2017. She was predeceased by her mother and father, brother Clinton Grell, and sister Stella Mangold.

Dorothy was baptized and confirmed in Hondo, TX and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. After graduation from high school in Hondo, she attended Texas Lutheran College in Sequin for two years where she was an honor student and then enrolled in University of TX in Austin where she completed a business degree and belonged to the Phi Theta Kappa Fraternity, an honor society. At both schools she made numerous life-time friends and participated in many campus activities.

She married Thomas M. Bethea in 1949 while at UT. The Korean War separated them for a period, but after the war they traveled extensively to many foreign countries and various military posts in the USA. Dorothy loved to travel, cook, dance, play golf and bridge and was a longtime member of the Fort Sam Houston Gift Chapel and Bible study group. She enjoyed researching the many intricacies of her family genealogy. Having visited 45 countries and taken 11 cruises, she satisfied her great desire to travel.

Dorothy loved and was devoted to her six grandchildren and her two great-grandchildren. She always saw the positive and adjusted to changing situations with grace. She will be greatly missed by her many friends and family alike, but her spirit and memories of her life will always be with those who knew her.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Thomas M. Bethea; her son Thomas and wife Karen of Athens, Alabama; her son James and wife Elaine of Irving, TX; and her daughter Julie and husband Koby of Fairfax, Virginia and her six grandchildren: Kelley Bethea-Watters, Jordan Bethea, Tyler Bethea, Elizabeth Lewis, Jean Stoll and Jake Stoll. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Henry Bethea and Hayden Bethea. She was so proud of her “Grands”. Dorothy also has many close nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

A memorial service will be held at Sunset Funeral Home on Austin Hwy, Friday, January 19, 2018 at 3:00p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity.