Dorothy Leeper St.Clair passed away peacefully on July 7, 2016.Born on December 30, 1916, Dorothy Magnuson was almost named “Hedvig”, but her older sister Esther fussed and carried on, saying, “You cannot name that baby Hedvig!” And so she was christened Dorothy Hedvig Magnuson. Her parents were Christine and Charles Magnuson of Homestead, Pennsylvania, a section of Pittsburgh. They emigrated from Sweden in the early 1900s. Dorothy had four older brothers: Oscar, Gustav, Victor and Walter, in addition to her sister Esther. All of the children were born in America.Dorothy was always an excellent student. She graduated from Pittsburgh’s Munhall High School in 1934, and then attended Carnegie Polytechic Institute in the Margaret Morrison College on a scholarship. She commuted by bus and trolley in some very cold Pennsylvania weather! While at Carnegie Tech, Dorothy participated in student government and was elected to Mortar Board and to Phi Kappa Phi. In 1938, she graduated with Honors from the college (now Carnegie Mellon University) with a degree in Costume Economics.Dorothy taught Home Economics in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, before marrying her high school sweetheart, Alan Bertrand Leeper, on June 21, 1940. They moved to Texas and two years later they had a son, Charles Stevenson Leeper, and then moved from Levelland to Midland. Alan worked for Honolulu Oil as a geologist for a few years before he formed an independent geology partnership, Leeper, Gibson & Cole, along with George Gibson and Tom Cole. Later, Alan had his own independent geology company for many years and became an independent producer/owner of Leeper Oil Exploration & Production, Inc.A second son, Walter Robert Leeper, was born in Midland on February 10, 1944, and a daughter, Jean Christine Leeper, was born on Al and Dorothy’s 6th anniversary on June 21, 1946. Four years later, their third son, David Alan Leeper, was born on May 19, 1950.Dorothy was an active member of the Midland community and volunteered with many organizations. In the 1950s, she was one of the founding members of the Children’s Service League and soon served as its President. She was named the “Woman of the Year” by the Altrusa Club for 1956-‘57. She was active in several Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Midland. Dorothy and Alan belonged to the Minuet Club and enjoyed dances at Midland Country Club where they were members. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, reading and occasionally golf. In later years, she was able to get her husband(s) to exercise at the Midland Community Aquatics Club in the early morning hours.Unfortunately, Dorothy and Alan’s son Walter died suddenly of an undiagnosed heart ailment on September 23, 1981 while watching a well in Garza County for Leeper Oil. He had first been married to Dorothy Evans of Midland for several years and later was married to Carolyn Claypool Bueche of Beaumont, Texas, with whom he parented two step-daughters in Austin, Sherry and Shelley Bueche.Dorothy and Alan had almost 49 years together before he passed away on March 25, 1989. By then, they had six grandchildren: Charles’ daughter Alison and son Jeffrey with his wife Cynthia Shoptaw Leeper; David’s two daughters, Diane and Melissa with his wife Gwen Calloway Leeper; and Jean’s two children, Lucinda (aka Ward) and Lee Alan with her husband Clifford G. Hoelscher.On December 29, 1992, Dorothy married Donald Wilson St.Clair who was also widowed, having lost his beloved wife Louise. Don and Dorothy traveled often and enjoyed visiting her family and his six grown children; Robert, Donna, William, Jean, Ann, and John St.Clair and also Don’s many grandchildren. They had ten happy years together before Don passed away on November 17, 2002.During that time, two more Leeper grandchildren were born to Dorothy: Twin boys John Charles and Walter Alan were born in Midland to David and his wife Carrie Douglas Leeper on August 13, 1999.On August 6, 2001, Dorothy’s oldest son Charles Leeper, a Fort Worth attorney, died after a battle with brain cancer.Dorothy is now survived by two of her children, eight grandchildren, and so far, five great-grandchildren: Adriane Martins-Hoelscher of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Avery Valentine Leeper of Fort Worth, Texas; Toby Alexander Lawson of Tampa, Florida; and Johanna Kay Brasuel and Willa Plum Brasuel of Fulshear, Texas.A Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home. There will be a private graveside service.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that commemorative donations be sent to the Midland Children’s Rehabilitation Center at 802 Ventura Avenue, Midland TX 79705, or to a charity of one’s choice.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.,
