Darleen Dollahite's Obituary
Darleen (Ingram) Dollahite was born on April 19, 1933, and went to the Lord on December 17, 2023. Wesley Dollahite, her dearly loved husband of 71 years, and Marila Dollahite Palmer, their daughter, preceded her in death. She is survived by sons David (Shaye), Steve (Terri), and Keith (Stacy) Dollahite; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
She grew up in a discordant household but found refuge in her grandparents’ home on Smelley Road, where she learned the values that shaped her life. God transformed her difficult childhood into a lifelong desire for peace and harmony in all her relationships. In May 1950, she graduated from Judson High School and went to work as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell. Three months later, she met Wesley on a blind date. Wesley, wearing blue jeans and a starched white shirt, picked up Darleen in his ‘41 Chevy sedan on a Sunday afternoon and they drove out to Merrill Lake, where they walked around the lakeshore, holding hands and talking. They drove back to town and to the Myers Malt Shop on Sixth Street, a popular spot because it had car hops. Both were smitten. By the end of the year, Wesley, age 20, and Darleen, age 17, agreed to marry. On Saturday, January 6, 1951, Wesley got off work at 5:00 pm, picked up Darleen at the telephone office, and drove to the preacher’s house, who married them in front of Darleen’s aunt and uncle as witnesses. They then dined at the Triangle Cafe on Highway 80 and honeymooned at a relative’s garage apartment. In 1955, they started a bicycle and lawnmower shop in Longview, where Darleen waited on customers and kept the books. The business evolved into Wesley’s Lawn and Garden Equipment, which sold Kubota and John Deere tractors, implements, and outdoor power equipment until Wesley retired in 1997. They operated their business with a deep commitment to Christian values, treating all individuals with respect, fairness, and dignity, regardless of their circumstances. Darleen’s keen interest in nature began early and flourished all her life. She had a remarkable knowledge of plants and animals, especially flowers and birds. She was an accomplished gardener. On cold winter days, she enjoyed identifying the birds at the feeder outside her kitchen window, watching them flit about, and thinking about their journeys. She constantly pointed out to others God’s fingerprints in the beauty and vibrancy of nature. She found great joy in her children, niece, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, sharing her stories, listening to their stories, playing games, drawing, reading books, sewing clothes for them, shaping them. Every moment was a teaching opportunity, while fishing at a pond on the family farm, tending the chickens, or climbing on the hay in the barn. For most of her adult life, she taught Sunday School for preschoolers, sharing her devotion to Jesus with countless kids, impacting their lives in ways she never saw until now. Darleen believed in education and after raising her four kids, spent the rest of her life learning and growing. She took music lessons so she could play the piano at church. She took art lessons and became a talented painter. In springs and summers, she collected a variety of flowers, then dried and pressed them using a technique she invented. In winters, she made beautiful, framed dried flower arrangements for family and friends. She learned calligraphy and wrote beautifully in cursive. Like Wesley, she was a shining example of God’s love. She had a kind, humble, and generous heart, despite the many hardships she faced in life. She would strike up a conversation with a stranger anywhere then gently guide it to a discussion about Christ’s love. She was a strong, determined, wise, and caring matriarch. If a family member or friend suffered an illness, death, or tragedy, she was always there to help with home-cooked meals and prayers. One of her favorite passages was Matthew 6:25-26: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Her funeral will be on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Rader Funeral Home of Longview, with the visitation at 9:00 am and the service at 10:00 am. The graveside service will be family-only at the Hallsville Cemetery. Her grandsons – Derek, Blake, Clint, Josh, Drew, and Reid Dollahite – will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, please make a gift in her memory to a church or charity of your choice.
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