Dolores Ann Rohde was born on March 7, 1933 to Henry Rohde and Pauline Landis Rohde. She died September 20, 2015. Dolores was the elder of two children born to Henry and Pauline. Her brother Henry Hamilton Rohde Jr. Was born August 30, 1934. Dolores was preceded in death by her brother Henry Hamilton Rohde Jr. her mother Pauline Landis Rohde and father Henry Rohde. Dolores is survived by many first, second and third cousins in Houston and surrounding Texas cities. Dolores Ann Rohde was the first grandchild born at Charles and Isabel Landis’ residence in Rockdale Texas. Dolores grew up in Rockdale and was within walking distance to downtown She enjoyed the small town blessings that come from growing up in a community that didn’t have to lock their doors and the friendly close knit nature of small towns in Texas. Dolores graduated from Hearne High School in May of 1951. She attended McKinsie-Baldwin Business College in Bryan, Texas in 1951. She learned short hand and typing and became very proficient with both. She could take short hand at 130 words a minute and type on a manual typewriter at 80 words a minute. After finishing her business college in Bryan, she moved to Houston in September of 1951.Dolores lived with Bob and Billie Clements for about six months until she found her first job. She went to work as a secretary for Tidewater Oil Company, which later became Getty Oil. After Dolores found an apartment and got settled, she decided to pursue advanced short hand training. She attended night school at the University of Houston and took advanced shorthand, bookkeeping and speech. Dolores amazed many in the family with her short hand skills. Dolores worked for 20 plus years while living in Houston. She became an executive secretary and worked for Phillips Sheffield CPA’s, the City of Houston Real Estate and Legal Attorney’s, when Louie Welch was the Mayor of Houston. Around 1957, Dolores Rohde was baptized into the Christadelphian faith. Dolores was very faithful at attending Memorial Meeting and hosting the weeknight Bible class at her apartment. She was very excited about studying her bible. During those early years in Houston, the Christadelphians did not have their own meeting hall. They had to rent a building and were only able to use it on Sunday morning for Memorial Service. The weeknight bible class was held on Wednesday night and it was rotated at the brethren and sister’s homes. Dolores was eager to participate and was always actively making refreshments for the brethren. She would put her short hand skills to use if there was a visiting speaker in town. She could write down the complete talk of the speaker, in short hand and use it as a study aid when needed. In the 1960’s and 1970’s Delores attended many fraternal gatherings hosted by the Christadelphians in Houston and Austin. She was always excited to hear the visiting speaker. One of her favorites was Brother Marie Stewart from California. In those days the Christadelphian’s would meet at Granite Shoals for the weekend for special fraternal gatherings. There were family bunkhouses and it was on a beautiful lake. Dolores was always excited to attend these gatherings of fellowship. In 1979, Delores participated in an M. D. Anderson Breast Cancer screening at her place of employment. During the screening, M.D. Anderson found breast cancer in one breast. Delores endured cancer surgery and radiation treatment for cancer. After completing rehab, she decided to move back to Hearne and live with her parents. She was a cancer survivor for 36 years and the early screening and detection was partially responsible for her recovery. The last ten to fifteen years have been difficult for Dolores. Dolores took care of her mother Pauline who had Dementia. The daily requirements of tending to her mother definitely affected Dolores’s mental and physical health. After her mother’s death she continued to live with her brother Henry Rohde Jr. (Bubba) and Delores also started to show signs of Dementia. She fell and broke her hip in 2013 and had to endure surgery and recovery. In 2014, she went to the doctor for a routine exam and they found cancer in the other breast. She had breast surgery and treatment, but the cancer had spread to other areas of her body. Dolores looked with great anticipation for the return of Jesus Christ to the Earth and the Establishment of his Kingdom on the Earth. She sleeps in Christ now. She waits until the Master’s Call. She no longer has to experience the pains of mortality. Dolores’s next thought, will be at the Resurrection and the Judgment Seat of Christ. Dolores Ann Rohde will be laid to rest with graveside services at Oaklawn Cemetery in Rockdale, Texas on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.
Rate this article: