Dorothy Dean Christmas Powell, 89, Orange

Dorothy Dean Christmas Powell, 89, of Orange, Texas, passed away on September 8, 2023, in Orange, Texas. 

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 23, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Orange, Texas. Officiating will be Reverend Ronnie Henigan. 

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 23, 2023, at First Baptist Church in Orange, Texas.

Born in Elliot, South Carolina, on February 1, 1934, she was the daughter of Heyward Vaughn Christmas and Lomie Leola Brown Christmas. Dorothy was a faithful woman and was very dedicated to the Lord and to sharing His love. She was a prayer warrior. She was a devoted mother and housewife who long dreamed of having 6, 8, 10, or 12 children, which she fulfilled upon having six children. Dorothy loved music and played harmonica at New Anointing Full Gospel Church while her daughter Sharon sang. She also taught her son Michael how to sing and harmonize, a legacy he continues to carry on today. She was very proud of her son Charles for being the first male drum major at LCM High School, and she dearly appreciated him and his wife, Denise, and their son, Chase, for always doing her yard work, especially for keeping the weeds out of her ditch. She was also very proud of all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a great cook and dreamed of opening a sandwich shop, and she made her dreams come true with the opening of Powell’s BBQ Hut on Hwy 87. Her son Larry inherited her love of cooking and would frequently bring her meals he prepared himself. Dorothy also enjoyed gardening and animals and went on to share her love of animals with her daughter, Loretta, who filled her mother’s desire for a Dalmatian, whom she adored, named Precious. Some of her favorite special times were with Chase and Cheyenne sitting by the fireplace tossing the football, watching gospel cartoons with Alaina and Torri, playing harmonica with Billy while he played guitar, and the great-grandchildren sitting in her lap while she loved on them and prayed for them. Dorothy was an intensely loving woman who will be missed by all left to cherish her memory.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Lawrence Felix Powell; her parents, Heyward and Lomie Christmas; her sister, Esthma Leotis Anderson; her brother, Heyward Vaughn Christmas, Jr.; her daughter, Lomie Loretta Powell; her sons, Lawrence Felix Powell, Jr., and William “Billy” Heyward Powell; her granddaughters, Melissa Powell and Madison Powell; and her grandson, Andrew Hunter Powell. 

She is survived by her children, Sharon Powell and fiancé, Ronnie Phelps, Michael Powell and wife, Aubrey, Charles Powell and wife, Denise; her daughter-in-law, Frances Garza Powell; her grandchildren, Alaina Powell, Torri Powell, Ashley Mettlen, Joshua Mettlen, Joshiabeth Garza, Sheena Quinones, Raymond Powell, Tony Powell, Benjamin Powell, Cody Powell, Ashley Powell, Kayleigh Newcomb, Lindsey Powell, Michael Powell, Jr., Amy Powell, Bryce Powell, Samantha Ducote, Thomas Ducote, Owen Ducote, Cierra Powell, Chelsea Stephenson, Chase Powell, and Cheyenne Powell; her 30 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; her sisters, Pauline Wilkie, Teresa Ortiz, and Patricia Ann Christmas; and numerous other loving friends and family. 

Dorothy’s family would like to extend a special thank you to daughter Sharon’s fiancé, Ronnie Phelps, and her best friend, Sharon Bertrand, for all of the help, love, and support they provided not only to Dorothy but to them as well.

They would also like to thank Mary, Amber, Autumn, Natasha, Stacy, and Victor of Heart to Heart Hospice; Magic, Mary, Kelly, Chelsea, Emma, Toria, Felicia, Amberlyn, and Les from Focus Care; Chaplain Rollie Burr and Melody Magouirk for all of the care they have provided to Dorothy.