Dorothy Murphree Rosson

Dorothy Murphree Rosson, died Sunday, April 7th at home in Snyder. Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 10, 2024, from 6 to 7 PM, at Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home. Services will be held Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 2 PM, at Colonial Hill Baptist Church in Snyder and graveside on Friday, April 12, 2024, at 3 PM, at Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

Dorothy was born on July 22nd, 1925 on a farm southeast of Snyder, to William Tapley and Lillian Gertrude Fondy Murphree, where she lived until she went to college. She attended Snyder public schools and graduated from Snyder High School with honors May 22, 1942. Dorothy moved to Abilene to attend Hardin Simmons University where she was business manager of the college newspaper, editor of the annual, a member of Cowgirls and involved in many other activities. Dorothy graduated May 28, 1945, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Journalism. When Renal Boyd Rosson returned from overseas duty in World War II, Dorothy married her “home town sweetheart” on July 11, 1945 at First Baptist Church in Snyder. Dorothy taught in schools in Lubbock and Austin while Renal finished college and law school. Then they moved back to Snyder where Renal opened a law office, they built a home, their son Kyle joined their family and Dorothy taught English at Snyder High School. When Renal was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, Dorothy started dividing her time between living and teaching in Snyder and spending time in Austin. Dorothy worked toward her Master’s degree and earned a Master of Arts in English and Education from the University of Texas at Austin, on June 3, 1961. They kept their home in Snyder but also had a home in the Austin area during these years. Dorothy retired from teaching in 1975 which allowed her to spend more time in Austin with Renal. Dorothy loved to travel, from her honeymoon in Florida on, Dorothy and Renal traveled whenever and wherever they could. She also enjoyed things close to home, like spending time entertaining friends whenever she could whether at parties, luncheons, or playing bridge. Dorothy loved cooking, gardening, and enjoyed time spent on their small ranch. Dorothy was a member of the Retired Teachers Association and was a member of the Zeta Lambda chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society.

During a revival in 1935 Dorothy said that she, “confessed Jesus as the Son of God and asked him into my heart. Since that night when I was just over 10 years of age, I have known that I was a child of God and that Jesus died that I might have eternal life”. Dorothy was baptized and joined First Baptist Church where she served for many years, later in life she joined Colonial Hill Baptist Church where she served and participated actively as long as she was able. Through the years Dorothy taught many Sunday school and Bible study classes, sang in choir and then senior choir, and served on various committees in her current church home.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Will and Gertrude Murphree; siblings, Edna Murphree, W. T. Murphree Jr., and Elsie Tippen; husband, Renal Rosson; daughter-in-law, Donna Rosson and niece, Jana Nelson.

Dorothy left behind her son, Kyle Rosson; her granddaughters, Kristin Garcia, husband Brandon and children, Isaac, Elijah, Malachi, Esther, Priscilla, Susanna, Phoebe and Lois, and Hilary Goods, husband Okeeye and children, Alfred, DeShay, Kylan and Johnzyrous; her nephews, Kent Tippen and Kevin Tippen and wife Kim; and “Dot’s girls”, all the wonderful and amazing ladies who became bonus family while helping Dorothy through life these last few years.