Dorothy Constance Stafford

Dorothy Constance Newman Stafford, 88, of Victoria, Texas, formally of Bellville, Texas, was called home by her Heavenly Father, on January 30, 2017. Dorothy was born on March 6, 1928, in Denver, Colorado to Gordon James Newman and Georgia Anna Newman.  Dorothy graduated from North High School in Denver, Colorado.  She began working as an out-of-state transfer specialist for Blue Cross Blue Shield following a short period of training in business school.  She married her husband, and love of her life, on December 18, 1949, at Beth Eden Baptist Church, Denver.  Dorothy and Robert (R.E.) met while he was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver.  They celebrated 63 years of marriage. Dorothy is survived by her daughters Kathleen Elizabeth Satterwhite (Michael) of Bellville, Texas, and Sharon Kay Whitley (Michael) of Victoria, Texas; three grandchildren, Valerie Elizabeth Meyers Ryder (Jeff) of League City, Texas, Michael Doyle Satterwhite, II, of Bellville, Texas and Tyler Austin Satterwhite of Bellville, Texas; sister in love, Petra Jansen of Estes Park, Colorado, three great grandchildren, and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins and extended family members. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Stafford, Jr., her parents, Gordon and Georgia Newman, sister, Elizabeth Bonger, sister, Ruth Karas (Gene) of San Rafael, California, granddaughter, Erin Michelle Meyers, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Dorothy followed R.E. to Topeka, Kansas, where he was stationed for a short time, and then returned to Denver, Colorado, to work while he was deployed overseas to Japan during the Korean War. Following 2 years apart, Dorothy and R.E. settled down in Denver, Colorado and began their family.  In 1964, they moved to R.E.’s hometown, Bellville, Texas.  They made Bellville home for the next 49 years. Members of the First Baptist Church of Bellville, Dorothy worked for several years as the church secretary under Pastor Alvis Bell. She spent her next years working as the Bellville High School secretary, and was beloved by the students there who dedicated a yearbook to her.  Dorothy loved the students.  She moved for a short time to being a Teacher’s Aide at O’Bryant Elementary School and ended her career as a Bookkeeper at the Bellville Independent School District Administration Office.  After retirement, she and R.E. enjoyed traveling in their RV and were Lifetime Members of the Good Sam’s Club.  They were also members of the Go-Slow Sam’s Group.  They loved to travel each year to the Baptist encampment in Palacios, Texas, for May by the Bay. Dorothy enjoyed traveling, crocheting, cross-stitch, and needlepoint. She had to stop most of her activities due to macular degeneration, which left her legally blind, and a diagnosis of dementia.  However, she always recognized her family and never stopped singing old hymns and saying “I love you.”  The most important things to her that no disease could take away. Dorothy’s smile will be missed by her children, grandchildren and extended family, and friends.Friends who wish may make memorial gifts to either: Macular Degeneration Foundation (www.eyesight.org), Alzheimer's Foundation of America (www.alzfdn.org) or to the First Baptist Church, Bellville (www.fbcbellville.org)