Ellis Jean Jolley Dawson

Jean was born November 5, 1930 to Marvin Ellis Jolley and Leta Blanche Jolley in El Dorado, Arkansas. She graduated from El Dorado High School in 1947. After graduating, she worked at the Union County Courthouse. 

She married Edward C. Dawson on August 16, 1952. They moved to the Maypearl area where they would farm and ranch on the Old Dawson home place. She was a valuable part of their agricultural business and worked right alongside Ed. She was known to pick cotton, drive trailers to the gin and round up cattle. While she was known for her work, she was famous for her delicious feasts with everyone welcome to her table.

Jean was a passionate mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was influential in her family members lives and the lives of so many others. She was an advocate for the deaf community. She made sure she was educated and skilled in American Sign Language and that her family was too. Her home was outfitted with accommodations for the hearing impaired long before accommodations of any kind were commonplace.

Jean was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Waxahachie for many years. She was a part of the Fidelis Sunday School class where she made lifelong friends. She was also active in the Bethel Community Church, near Maypearl, where she loved participating in the annual Lord’s Acre Sale. 

She worked for the Ellis County Justice of the Peace and JC Penney’s for several years before retiring. After retirement, she continued to work part-time for Larry Woodall at L & J Jewelry. She loved helping people. Her style and kindness always made you feel like you were the only customer in the store. 

She is survived by her children, daughter, Connie Wammack and husband Cliff and her sons; Chad and wife, Cammie, Jared and wife, Jennifer, Brandon and wife, Lindsey, her son, James Edward Dawson and his daughter, Bradley Dawson and son, John Dawson, her daughter, Donna Jean McKinnon and her husband, Britt and her daughters; Claire Frazier and husband Brandon, and Kaycee Bull, her daughter, Melanie Ann Dawson and her children, Coby and Kaily Davis. Her great grandchildren and many friends will miss her greatly.

Jean lived in Waxahachie for over 30 years before moving to Hilltop Nursing Facility in Kerrville, Texas. After a brief illness, she went to be with the Lord with her daughter, Melanie Dawson, holding her hand.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. The memorial will be held at Bethel Community Church located at 534 Bethel Road, Waxahachie, Texas 75167.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) or Peterson Memorial Hospice.