Dorothy Marie "Dot" Jones

A Celebration of Life for Dorothy Marie “Dot” Jones of Lufkin will be held Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Carroway Family Reception Room.

Dorothy Marie “Dot” Jones, beloved mother, grandmother, wife and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep Thursday, June 18, 2026 in Lufkin, Texas. She was 90 years old.

Dot was born January 18, 1936 in Galveston, Texas to the late Marvin Luther Hardy and Hazel Marie (Rogers) Hardy. She spent her early years in San Leon, Texas before moving with her family to California at age eight. Following her parents’ divorce she entered the foster care system and was later lovingly welcomed into the home of Charlie and Willie Dell Warock of Pineland, Texas. That resilient spirit forged in childhood defined her life.

At West Sabine High School in Pineland Dot excelled as captain of the girls’ basketball team, head cheerleader, and valedictorian of her graduating class. She went on to complete the demanding nursing program at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, becoming a Registered Nurse. She began her career at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont, rising to senior nurse. In 1957 she returned to Pineland, where she met a young physician, Dr. Gordon William Jones, who had just opened his general practice. They married February 21, 1958, beginning a love story that spanned nearly six decades.

Within a year the couple’s first son, Gordon William Jones, Jr., came along to expand their family. When Gordon pursued a radiology specialty the family moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where Dot worked as a staff nurse in the psychiatric ward at Confederate Memorial Medical Center while supporting her husband through his residency. They later settled in Lufkin, where Gordon became the first radiologist at Woodland Heights Hospital. The second son, Byron, arrived in 1963 and their third son, Reagan, followed ten years later. Dot then chose to devote herself fully to raising her family, becoming the heart of their home.

A legendary cook, Dot could whip up memorable meals for friends and unexpected guests seemingly out of thin air. As her son Gordon, Jr. often said, “Most people think their mom is the best cook in the world, but mine actually is”. She was also a devoted grandmother who took immense pride in her granddaughter Elizabeth, cheering her on through every accomplishment.

Her interests were as vibrant as her personality. Dot was an avid reader and also enjoyed gardening, traveling, arts and crafts, shooting and fishing. She and Gordon shared many adventures, including memorable fishing trips to the Chandeleur Islands off the Louisiana coast - one of which ended with a dramatic Coast Guard helicopter rescue after their floatplane’s engine failed enroute to New Orleans.

In the late 1970s, Dot discovered golf and it quickly became her absolute passion. She played in hundreds of tournaments over more than 40 years, filling two large curio cabinets with trophies and prizes. Even casual conversations often turned into enthusiastic recaps of her latest round. She would have played for the rest of her days, but a knee injury finally sidelined her.

After Gordon’s retirement they moved to their beloved camp house on Ayish Bayou at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which they had built in 1967 and later remodeled into a warm family home. There they spent many happy years entertaining friends and family with Dot’s cooking and hospitality.

Dot was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin Luther Hardy and Hazel Marie Rogers; brother, Billy Ray Hardy; and her beloved husband of nearly 60 years, Gordon William Jones.

She is survived by her sons, Gordon Jones, Jr. and his partner Morris Nelson, Byron Jones and wife Beth, and Reagan Jones; cherished granddaughter, Elizabeth Jones; and sister, Wanda Conn.

As we say farewell to Dot we celebrate a life marked by unwavering strength, deep devotion to family, and a warm, generous spirit. Her determination, kindness, sense of humor, and culinary magic touched everyone who knew her. Though she is no longer with us, her love and the countless memories she created will live on in our hearts forever.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Dot’s memory to the Winnie Berry Humane Society of Angelina County, 1102 N John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75904.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.