Dorothy Jean King, age 93, of Brady, Texas passed away peacefully Sunday, September 10, 2023 surrounded by her family at her residence in Brady, Texas. Jean entered her life one month after “black Tuesday,” the stock market crash that began the Great Depression. Born to Bill Gooch and Helen Terry, she grew up in a poor district of Abilene, Texas with her younger sister, Joan, her mother, Helen, and step father, Glenn Beall. She met Weldon “Tootie” King, a WWII sailor home on leave, while she was in high school and they married November 9th, 1946. While raising four boys they lived in various places in Texas, following Weldon’s construction business, but primarily in Abilene.
Jean was devoted to God, and loved her family and friends. She worked as a volunteer with the Christian Service Center in Abilene for over 20 years. She enjoyed hospitality, entertaining, cooking and her family get togethers. She was an artist and avid reader. She played Bridge from her 20s to her 90s. In her mid-80’s she helped start a soup kitchen in Llano for people with food limitations. She enjoyed antiquing. She loved working in her yard and animals, especially her birds and stray cats that she kept fed in her backyard. She loved artwork and was herself an artist. Those who knew her knew that she documented everything. She was a recent resident of Brady, moving here in 2021 from Llano. She was dedicated to studying the bible and a member of the Sunset Ridge Church of Christ. She was blessed with a good memory and a clear mind until just a few days before passed.
A memorial service for Dorothy Jean King will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, October 7, 2023 at Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in Brady with Brother Troy Singleton officiating.
Private graveside service was held at Texas Veterans Cemetery in Abilene, Texas. Friends may view and/or sign Jean’s online memorial guest book at www.leatherwoodmemorialchapels.com.
Dorothy Jean King is survived by sons David King and wife Nita of Canyon Lake, Texas, Greg King and wife Tina of Brady, Texas, Vic King and wife Kay of Wimberley, Texas, and John King and wife Jeanne of Ingleside, Texas; 11 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sister Joan Lang, and daughter-in-law Jill King. Memorial contributions in memory of Dorothy Jean King may be made to Christian Homes of Abilene, P.O. Box 270, Abilene, Texas 79604 or online at www.christianhomes.com and/or Christian Service Center, 3185 North 10th Street, Abilene, Texas 76903 or online at www.cscabilene.org.