Josephine Melloo Duflot Dawes

Josephine Melloo Duflot Dawes died Wednesday, June 8, 2005, at Scenic Mountain Medical Center, Big Spring, Texas at the age of 95 years, 9 months and 10 days. She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-three years, William Robert Dawes, Jr.Mrs. Dawes was born August 28, 1909 in Mayfield, Kentucky, to Joseph Leo Duflot and Elizabeth Shanklin Melloo Duflot. In 1915, the family moved to Amarillo, Texas, where her father took a position as high school principal. In 1918, they moved to Canyon, Texas, where she completed her elementary and high school years at the training school of West Texas State Teacher's College, and where her father was a professor of Sociology and Anthropology. She graduated salutatorian of her high school class, and in 1928 graduated from West Texas State Teacher's College with a B. A. degree.Josephine entered college at West Texas State at the age of fifteen. During her college years, she took a leading part in Pi Omega Society, Elapheian Literary Society, and various musical organizations, as she was also an accomplished pianist. When she was a senior, she became captivated by someone she had heard playing Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# Minor, in the reception hall of the girls' dorm. That someone was William Robert Dawes, Jr., son of a pioneer Big Spring family, who would become her husband.In the meantime, she was employed as a history teacher at Marathon, Texas, making many good friends and enjoying the Big Bend area until her two-year teaching certificate expired, and she returned to Canyon to earn her permanent certificate.Josephine married William Robert ('Bill') Dawes, Jr. August 15, 1933, at the Episcopal Church in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Their honeymoon was at El Porvenir, in the mountains above Las Vegas, New Mexico. They lived for the next four years in Lovington, New Mexico, where Bill taught public school music. Josephine worked as a typist in an abstract office until their first child, Joseph O'Hara Dawes, was born.Returning to Texas, and Bill's hometown of Big Spring, Josephine taught junior high music appreciation. With the births of Robert Leo, James Richard, and Martha Elizabeth, she was once again a full-time Mom, keeping up with all their activities, as she has done with dedication all her life. Being the consummate organizer, she has household files she visits frequently whenever a bit of information is needed. Once Martha started school, Josephine became the secretary to the Assistant Superintendent, then to the Superintendent of the Big Spring Schools until her retirement in 1973, the same year that Bill retired from serving fourteen years as the first principal of Marcy Elementary School. She and Bill volunteered in the Mobile Meals program and were members of the Big Spring Retired Teacher Association. Josephine had been a volunteer at the Malone and Hogan Hospital gift shop, and she and Bill were quick to visit friends or relatives who were hospitalized or in nursing homes. For many years, she held an office with the Howard County Historical Commission and was a significant contributor to the production of the centennial history book. As a lover of good music, she was a long time supporter of the Big Spring Symphony. Retirement also gave her the opportunity to pursue her artistic talent, and she leaves many fine oil paintings, watercolors, and sketches to be enjoyed. At age 95, she still played the piano, being especially fond of a set of original compositions written by a young Nancy Dawes, her late sister-in-law. A lover of good literature, she would still recite to an interested listener, lines from poems such as The Children's Hour.She is survived by her four children and their families: Joseph O'Hara Dawes and wife, Susan Cupp Dawes, of Big Spring and their daughter, Kathryn O'Hara Dawes Zetterstrom, her husband, Bjorn Petter Zetterstrom of Lubbock, Texas, and their two children, William Henrik Zetterstrom and Espen Andreas Zetterstrom; Dr. Robert Leo Dawes and wife, Rosemary Nelson Dawes, of Bedford, Texas, and their two daughters, Sara Michelle Dawes and Karen Melissa Dawes; James Richard Dawes of San Antonio, Texas, and his two children, Alexander Barton Sommers and Emily Kate Melloo Sommers-Dawes; Martha Elizabeth Dawes Davis and husband, Charles Edward Davis, of Southlake, Texas, and their two children, Emily Elizabeth Davis and Scott William Dawes Davis. She is also survived by her sister, Merrie Elizabeth Duflot Kendrick of Toledo, Ohio, and her children; her sister-in-law Rosemary Duflot, and the children of her brother, the late Dr. Leo Scott Melloo Duflot, of Corpus Christi, Texas.A kinder person has not lived, nor one who has more loved her fellow man. To her children and grandchildren she has been the link to their family genealogy, as she has taken an active part in furthering knowledge of family history. It has been a privilege to have benefited from the long and healthy life of our mother, and she will be deeply missed."I have you fast in my fortress,And will not let you depart,But put you down into the dungeonsIn the round-tower of my heart.And there will I keep you forever,Yes, forever and a day,Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,And moulder in dust away!"…from The Children's Hour by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow************************************************************Graveside services for Josephine Dawes will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, June 11, 2005 at Mt. Olive Memorial Park with Rev. James Liggett, officiating. Memorials may be made to the Heritage Museum, 510 Scurry, Big Spring, Texas 79720 or a favorite local charity.Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com,