The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Gertrude “Granny” Dotson, 102, quietly slipped away on Thursday, April 4, at The Meadows in Orange. She was born in Paris, TX., on Oct. 4, 1910 to parents Ben and Louvenia McFadden. Funeral services will be at 2:00 on Sunday, April 7, at Claybar Funeral Home Chapel in Orange. Officiating will be the Rev. Lynn Ashcraft. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens near Bridge City. Visitation will be from 1:00 until 2:00 on Sunday at the funeral home.

Gertrude married L.M Dotson in Paris, and moved to Orange in 1940. She worked at Green’s Department store and The Fair store for over 50 years. Granny was a lifetime member of The Orange County Senior Citizens. She enjoyed the ladies group known as the Lunch Bunch that meet monthly to eat, visit and play a mean game of SKIP BO. Granny was part of the Master Gardeners Club. She raised a huge garden until the age of 96. She was always bringing vegetables to people to enjoy. Granny has that amazing ability to break off a stem, stick it in the ground and it would become a flourishing plant. She loved to putter in her yard and work with her flowers.

Granny owned and operated Dotson’s Exxon Service Station on 16th street with her husband, L. M Dotson for many years. She would work at the Fair store, and then come sit at the station. She never met a stranger and had the gift of gab. Granny loved to talk to all of the people that came into the station. She had a memory like a steel trap, and was a natural born storyteller. Granny and L. M. had many opportunities to travel with Exxon in their earlier years. She loved to see new things and welcomed the chance to go.

Granny was a great cook and always had something cooking on the stove. She loved her family. She raised her three sons Bill, Donald and Jerry, and in later years, she helped raise grandchildren. Then she stepped in to help raise great-grandchildren. Granny loved Bingo. It was said that when she would win, she would dance on the way to get her prize.

Granny was a member of North Orange Baptist Church for 55 years. She loved and enjoyed Sunday school, the church services and the church family.

Granny was preceded in death by her husband, L. M. Dotson; sons, Bill Dotson and Jerry Dotson; granddaughter, Dana Hargrave; parents, Ben and Louvenia McFadden; sister, Opal Shew, and brother, Roy Davis McFadden.

Granny is survived by her brother, Edward (Son) McFadden of Paris; son, Donald Dotson of Orange; daughters-in-law Diane Dotson of Orange and Jane Dotson of Lafayette. Granny is also survived by grandchildren, Donnie and Carter Dotson of Orange, Mike Dotson of Caldwell, Daniel Dotson and wife Chrystal of Orange, Misti Dotson of Orange, Laura Sweatt and husband, Hayden, Drew Dotson and wife Andrea of Santa Fe, Alicia Germany of Millington, Doug Dotson and wife Michelle of Lafayette.

Great-grandchildren are Jacob Hargrave and wife Rebecca of Hawaii, Lucas Hargrave of Orange, Crystal Smith, Ashley Passmore, Allison Nunez, Faye Unold, Eric Dotson, Beth Elliott, Cread and Cade Dotson, Simon and Henry Dotson, Kourtni, Kaylee and Haylen Sweatt, Alex and Ashley Dotson, Elizabeth, Olivia, and Jack Germany, Britney Gossen and husband, Crawford, Bailey and Brett Dotson, and nine great great grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Mike Dotson, Daniel Dotson, Donnie Dotson, Carter Dotson, Doug Dotson, Drew Dotson, Jacob Hargrave, and Lucas Hargrave.