Dorothy Lee Samuel Holmes was born on July 20, 1937. She was the fourth child of six siblings born to William "Judge" and Jessie Samuel. She departed this life on September 24, 2020.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Evelina, Mary Helen, and Ardecia. She has three living siblings: sister, Willie Mae McFarland of West Covina, California, and brothers, William (Mary) of Newton, Texas, and Joe Mack (Ella) of Missouri City, Texas.

Her mother passed away when she was seven. She was raised by her grandmother, Adeline, her cousin, Bessie, her sisters, and dad. She grew up in a community of strong, loving women with a grandmother who believed in prayer and a cousin who taught her to sing hymns and a love for music.

"Dot", as she was known by relatives and friends, loved playing in the woods and on the railroad track (when Granny wasn't around) and climbing trees ("the taller the better"). She was a real "tomboy".

She received her education from different schools, as she moved around with different relatives, starting in her beloved J.H. Rowe, Silsbee, Texas, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Daddy saw to our spiritual up-bringing, which "meant" prayer at night, Sunday school every Sunday (no excuses), Order of Service SCRIPTURE READINGS Old Testament New Testament PRAYER EXPRESSIONS WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT COMMITTAL and when Dot was twelve, she joined Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church and was baptized. She stayed a Baptist all her life. Wherever she was, she always joined a local church and would sing in the church choir.

She was married four times. Three of her husbands preceded her in death. She had moved to southern California as a young adult, marrying husband number two and three. After the death of her third husband, she moved back to Jasper and married A.D. Holmes. They were united until his death in December 2019. She never recovered from his loss, and her health began to decline.

She had no natural children but loved to mother other people's, especially her nieces and nephews. Some she mothered more than others. She loved them all, but one she loved as though she had given birth to her, Katie McFarland, whom she called "KT", and "KT" became her own. She gave her the love of music, bought her the best toys, clothes, etc., and when she grew up, "Aunt Dot" loved to visit her sweet "KT" in her home in California, and she would just sit on the patio and look at the mountain. She was happy. She also became close to her niece, Annette, and nephew, Rodney. After she married Mr. A.D. Holmes, she became mother to his son, A.J. "Jr.", his granddaughter, CeCe, and her three children. She loved to spoil them, and they loved "Ma Dot".

She leaves to mourn: her sister; her two brothers; nineteen nieces and nephews and their children; stepson, A.J. "Jr."; granddaughter, CeCe; her three children; special friends, Lillie Scott and Deborah Morgan; and her many other friends and relatives. She was a good cook and loved to feed her relatives and friends. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed. She was very patriotic and was looking forward to voting in this year's election. So please honor her by voting.