Dorothy Lee Lumpkin Surratt
December 9, 1927 ~ February 28, 2015
Dorothy Lee Lumpkin Surratt went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 28, 2015. She was born December 9, 1927, in Hughes Springs, Texas to Beulah Grace Lumpkin Townley and Milton Lumpkin. Dorothy graduated from Hughes Springs High School in 1945. She married the love of her life, Dude Surratt, on May 31, 1945. They were married for 66 years. Dorothy started a flower shop in Hughes Springs with her mother, and later Dude helped them until they retired in 1991. She loved beautiful flowers and plants as anyone who knew her and saw her yard can attest. She received a Crystal Globe Award from the Chamber of Commerce on January 14, 2012. She loved to cross stitch and made a bedspread and pillow shams for each of her children and grandchildren. She adored her family and loved to cook for them and was the happiest when they came to visit. She and Dude attended almost every sporting and academic event in which children and grandchildren participated. Dorothy was a member of First Baptist Church in Hughes Springs. She taught childrens Sunday School and Sunbeams, and worked with the youth for many years. Many adults still remember the impact she had on their lives. She loved her church and working for the Lord. Her joy and pleasure was to serve the Lord by providing fresh flowers for several churches every Sunday for many years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dude; her parents, Beulah and Milton; and her three brothers, Melvis, Conway, and Bobby. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Kathy Surratt, of Chandler, Texas; and her daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Dennis Gilbert, of Louisville, Kentucky. She also leaves behind five grandchildren, Jeff Surratt and his wife Jerra, Greg Gilbert and his wife Moriah, Andy Surratt, Matthew Gilbert, and Krista Allen and her husband Jaime. In addition, she leaves five great-grandchildren, Kennedy and Jack Surratt, and Justin, Jack and Juliet Gilbert. Visitation will be held at Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs, on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. The celebration of Dorothys life will be on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at First Baptist Church in Hughes Springs at 2:00 p.m. Officiating the service will be her grandson, Greg Gilbert, pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and Daniel Bramlett, pastor of First Baptist Church in Hughes Springs. Interment will follow at Hughes Springs Cemetery under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs.
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Everytime i saw her, she had a smile on her face.She and Dude seemed to be so devoted to each other. Both influenced my life in a positive way. My sympathy to Gary & Kathy & Dennis & Kathy & grandkids and other family members. Another sweet person from Hughes Springs has gone on to glory.
So sorry to hear of Dorothy passing. She was a super sweet lady that I had know most of mine and my families life. Lots of fond memories to cherish!! May God wrap his loving arms around each of you.
So sorry for your loss; may God comfort you at this time; keeping you close in my prayers
Our hearts go out to you in the loss of one so dear. God is our refuge & strength, a present help in time of trouble.psalms 46:1
Gene and I knew and loved Dude and Dorothy many years ago. May they now celebrate their reunion in Glory. Blessings are asked for those who mourn.
Mrs. Dorothy was such a cheerful and sweet lady that I enjoyed my visits with her at the flower shop. God bless you all and wrap his loving arms around each of you.
I will never forget Ms .Dorothy – I remember going into her store as a child and continuing so as an adult – every bow every flower would be just perfect when she finished – it was an honor to present her with an award for her gift of service to this community in 2012-you will never be forgotten.
She made the best tuna fish sandwiches!
Dear Surratt family, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers….Mrs. Dorthy was one of the sweetest and most beautiful persons that I have ever known. i always loved to go in the flower shop and talk to her and Mr. Dude. May our loving Heavenly Father enfold you in his arms and comfort you as only he can. Sincerely, Carol Griffis
Prayers and love to all of the family. May you find joy in the celebration of Mrs. Dorothy's life and remember the selfless love she has shared with each of you as you will miss her every day. We thank our Lord for her and each of you and feel peace and comfort that she is in eternity with our Lord Jesus. Condolences your way.
Dorothy was always such a sweet lady and enjoyed talking to her every time I saw her. She and Dude were wonderful neighbors to our family. Very beautiful woman inside and out. Our prayers and sympathy to the family.Eric Martin (son of G.E. (Red) and MaeNon Martin. Theresa Bowden Cope sends her sincere condolences as well.
Kathy and Gary,I am so sorry about Dorothy. She was a wonderful lady. I will always remember her smiling face. She was so proud of all and always wanted to share what you were doing. May God give you comfort and strength during this time.
In the early 1970'w, my mother had an insurance business downtown just a few doors away for Mrs. Surratt's flower shop. I don't know how it started but when I was 6 or 7 I started visiting the flower shop. I was especially intrigued by the refrigerated room where the fresh flowers were held. The smell inside the room was a mixture of sweet from the flowers and cooler refrigerant. Mrs. Surratt would pull a stool up next to her work tabled and I would watch her wrap wire around flower stems and out of no where and random greens and colored pieces she would create an arrangement out , what seemed to me, thin air. Most of the time she had a candy or something to drink and I would hang out with her. She showed me how she sprayed the leaves of the potted plans to give them a special shine. She put a white carnation in colored water and it changed those plain white carnations into white flower petals edged in blue or red or pink. To a 6 year old that was magic. It was always a bit of magic when I wandered down the sidewalk from my mother's door to Mrs. Surratt's shop. Both Mr. and Mrs. Surratt always seemed glad to see me and I don't ever remember feeling like I was in their way. You know, when I pass the cut flower cooler at the grocery store now, I think about the wooden room with the glass front that contained the cool cool air and the fantastic array of cut flowers. The flowers in Kroger's always make me think back to the Surratt's floral business and how kind they were to a bored little boy who found something interesting inside the flower shop on the main street of Hughes Springs. Mrs. Surratt was a very kind woman and I thank her for her kindness and her love of all things beautiful. My visits ended around 40 years ago but sometimes it seems just like yesterday I stood in that cooler trying to figure out where they got a refrigerator that big. My condolences to the family, and my sincere thanks to them for sharing her with the City of Hughes Springs. She was a great asset to the town and to bored little boys 5 doors down….Clinton Rolen Gandy.
Praying that God will give you strength and comfort during this time. Mrs. Dorothy was a beautiful, kind Christian lady. I know there is rejoicing in Heaven because of her homecoming.
My sympathies to the Surratt family: Ecclesiastes 3:12 tells us that there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do good during ones life: May Almighty Gods loving-kindness comfort you as you celebrate Mrs. Dorothys life: Psalm 119:76