Dorathy Black

Dorathy Lee Stokes Black was born September 6, 1921 and went home on May 14, 2019. She is survived by her son, Tom Black and his wife Christie. Dorathy has six grandchildren: Ryan Black (Dana), Kyle Black (Kari), Karly Parsley (Ryan), Tori Lucero (Ryan), Mackenzie Altenburg and Landon Altenburg. She has 5 great grandchildren, Rheannen Archuleta, Xander Black, Avery Black, Peyton Parsley and Madison Parsley. She is also survived by her sister Luella and brother Gene. Dorathy was born in Wheeler County, Texas and attended Groom High School, where she was valedictorian of class in 1939. She attended West Texas State College in Canyon, Texas, where she met Sanford Black in a science lab. Their first date was to a revival held by the First Baptist Church of Canyon. They married May 20, 1940 in Canyon. She and Sanford were married 67 years until his passing in July of 2007. During Sanford's service in World War II, she lived in Abilene Texas. After the war, they moved to Davenport Iowa, while Sanford attended Palmer Chiropractic College. They were driving through Mineral Wells in 1947, stopped for lunch and fell in love with the town and the people. They never left. They joined the First Baptist Church immediately and the church became the cornerstone of their lives. Heavily involved, she was there "every time the doors were open", even to the point of cutting vacations short so she could maintain perfect attendance in Sunday School. She enjoyed the fellowship and the love that came with and from the church. She stayed in Mineral Wells during Sanford's time of deployment to the Korean War. During that period, Dorathy worked for CI Small Construction Company. In 1962 went to work for Mineral Wells Savings and Loan, until her retirement in the late 1980's. Her favorite part was seeing regular customers every month.