Rita Dunn

Rita Nell Dunn, age 78 of Tyler, went to be with her Lord and Savior on June, 28 2021. Visitation will be held at 1:00 on Thursday, July 8th at Tyler Memorial Funeral Home with Pastor Samuel Priddy officiating. Funeral and graveside services will follow at 2:00.

Mrs. Dunn was born December 9, 1942 to Vernon “Shorty” Bartlett and Ora Lee Rozell and grew up on her family’s rose farm and peach orchards. She attended John Tyler High School and began her career which lasted until her retirement just three months ago. She married Robert “Bob” Morris Gandy on February 7, 1958 and they welcomed their much-loved son Glenn into the world in 1960. She spent 20 years working at Tyler Pipe, 10 years at Knight Manufacturing, and the last 20 years at her brother’s company Rozell Sprayer Manufacturing. Rita was a loyal, hardworking and dedicated employee who was truly valued by her coworkers. She was also incredibly organized and always busy helping others. Kindness, compassion, and generosity emanated from her. You never had to ask Rita to help; she was there taking care of things for you before you even had time to call her. She was a superb keeper of her home and had an exceptionally green thumb. Her daughter-in-law Nelta was her best friend and constant companion. They loved to take trips together and always came away with a great story of their “adventures.”

Rita was a wonderful woman, wife, mother, sister, and friend, but her most cherished role was as a grandmother. She was affectionately called “Gamaw” by her firstborn grandchild Kristen. She cherished their early years together and the special time they shared. Her grandsons came along later and the name “Dawda” was born. They viewed her as their mentor, best friend, and second mom. She was treasured by her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a few special others who adopted her as their own. She never missed a baseball game of Glenn’s as he was growing up and she was at every one of her grandson’s games too. You could hear her cheering across the field. She loved to be on the floor playing with the little ones and always stayed young at heart.

She is preceded in death by her parents, brother Melvin Rozell and sister-in-law Barbara, brother Ronnie Rozell, and her husbands Robert Morris Gandy and Gary Dunn. Her surviving family members include her brother Orvis Rozell and wife Anita of Tyler, sister-in-law Sandra Rozell of Tyler, beloved son Glenn Gandy and wife Nelta of New Harmony, stepson Doug Dunn and wife Melanie of La Poyner, stepdaughter Becky Dunn, granddaughter Kristen Fain and husband Micah of Dripping Springs, grandson Gage Gandy and wife Nicole of New Harmony, grandson Gran Gandy of New Harmony, five great grandchildren Ryder and Mayson Fain, Gideon, Natle and Neriah Gandy, and two step grandchildren Marissa and Zach and other step great grandchildren.

Serving as pallbearers, Ken Redfearn, Mike Dumas, Steve May, Shannon Rozell, Bart Rozell, and Darren Rozell.