Dolores Louise Hunnicutt Delaney
A sixth generation Texan, Dolores Louise Hunnicutt Delaney was born on Sunday August 20, 1939 to Mamie Ruth Gressett and John Harv Hunnicutt in Ballinger, Texas at home. As was the custom at the time, the mother and children went back to the mother’s home to give birth. Dodie’s sister was sent to church during the birth. They then stayed in Ballinger for about a month until it was safe to travel back to the ranch with Dodie.
Known as Dodie for most of her life after her grandmother, she was true grit personified and an old school, gracious, no nonsense Texas woman. She never met a challenge she did not like and fought until the end.
In the first years of her life her family did not have electricity but instead used lamps and a wood burning stove to light the house at night. Her surviving sister Joann has memories of Dodie dancing by lamp light to the sound of the violin her father John played. A sketch was done of this by a family friend and copies given to the family.
The family lived on 3200 acres on Hamilton Pool Road in Travis, Texas according to the 1940 census. Her father was a rancher whose brand was JHH. He was known as a horse whisperer for his ability to break horses and he worked for the Mc Elroy’s and LBJ. Her mother was a writer who wrote articles for the Cattleman Magazine in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
Dodie’s was young when her father passed away and her mother moved the family to Austin, eventually remarried and worked at the Radio House at The University of Texas to help support the family. During this time Dodie attended public school in Austin and high school at St. Mary’s Academy in Austin. She played basketball and other sports during high school. She went on to San Angelo College where her basketball team won State. During her time at college, Dodie also won State in Fencing. Her achievements were not just in sports, however. She was voted Queen or Miss San Angelo College. She also participated in the drama department, acted in plays and was a cheerleader.
She attended The University of Texas Dental School to be a dental hygienist. She met her husband and one love and the father of her children, Albert Delaney, while in dental school. They moved to Liberty, Texas where she raised her family. Dodie was an active member of the DAR and held State Offices in the Organization.
She cooked for family and friends and loved to entertain. She took sewing lessons and entered every Pillsbury cooking contest that was offered and spent a year trying to perfect a Pineapple recipe for a Dole contest. She was active in the community and supported the events her children were involved in. She supported her husband and family and would do anything to help all who she considered a friend.
Dodie was a master at genealogy and tracking ancestors. This was apparent to all who knew her while she was in the DAR. This would also serve her well later in life.
As her children grew older and closer to leaving home, Dodie remade herself as a jeweler and bead maker. She also became interested in and began selling antiques. She took courses and also read everything she could get her hands on. She became an expert of sorts in the antique world. This was her career for many years and she made many lifelong friends during this time. I
n the early 2000’s Dodie became a Landman. This was her career until late 2020 when her cancer made it difficult to continue. She made many friends in this industry and reacquainted herself with people who had been part of her life earlier.
Dodie was a devout Christian who read her bible every morning. She prayed for all her friends and those she just met. She was an animal lover from childhood. As a child she was always rescuing animals and this continued all through her life.
In February of 2021, she moved in with Amy and Dan. She passed away peacefully there on October 5, 2022. Dodie spent 6 years battling Metastatic Breast Cancer. Initially she was given three weeks to live. She decided to fight and that she did.
Dodie was someone who reinvented herself many times and became somewhat of an expert in each new field or endeavor she decided to undertake. She was always optimistic and ready for the next adventure. She tired her hardest to be the best at everything she did. Her competitive nature was evident until the very end.
At the time of her death, the world lost a woman who was one of the last of a dying breed of Texans. Someone who remembered those who had gone before her and respected the battles they endured. Someone who understood the impact her actions and footsteps, and how it would reflect on generations to come.
Dodie is survived by her sister Jeanne Joann Taylor, daughter Amy and husband Dan, son Lindsay and wife Jerre, 2 grandchildren Kaci Rhine (Kris) and Kara Spear (Alan), 4 great grandchildren (Elli, Ali, Remi, Thomas), one niece and 4 nephews.
She is preceded in death by her father John Hunnicutt, mother Ruth Goddard, sister Carolyn Scarborough and two nieces Louise Scarborough and Graham Davidson.
A memorial service was held on October 16, 2022. Family Burial will be in Ballinger, Texas at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family is asking that donations be made to Devotion Hospice in Conroe, Texas or the charity of your choice