Doris Laverne Pettigrew, of Austin, Texas passed away on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019 at the age of 95. Doris, aka Mama, began her journey through life on May 7, 1923 in Bardwell, Texas as the youngest daughter of Zula and James Wesson. She, along with her siblings, Claude and Dorothy, lived on a farm and, in Mama's words "enjoyed a comfortable life". James Wesson died in 1929 and the Wesson family moved to Boyce, Texas to live with Zula's widowed mother as the Great Depression of the 1930's settled in. After graduating high school in Waxahachie, she attended Metropolitan Business School in Dallas in 1945 and night classes at El Centro Community College in 1968. In 1946 Doris joined TEMCO, an aircraft manufacturing company that eventually became E-Systems. She began her career as a stenographer, then secretary and with a succession of promotions to estimator, senior cost analyst and contract administrator followed. While working for E-Systems, Doris was given the opportunity to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas culminating in the award of a Master's Degree in Business Administration in 1981. After 42 years with E-Systems, she retired in 1988.
In 1946, Doris married Joseph Seth Parker in Dallas and, to that union, daughters Cynthia Sue and Darla Jo, joined the Parker family. After 50 years together, Joe passed away in 1996. Mama always stayed close to the E-Systems family and eventually began dating her former colleague, Virgil Pettigrew. After several years of courting, Doris and Virgil were married in Gun Barrel City, Texas in 2005. Unfortunately, two years later, Virgil succumbed to cancer in 2007. Mama remained in Dallas for some time and finally moved to the Austin area in 2008 near her daughter, Darla. While living in Austin in Brookdale at Gaines Ranch, she made many friends and acquaintances and enjoyed the many and varied activities that were offered. Between tai chi, watercolor painting, pottery, crafting and dancing, Doris maintained an active and busy schedule. But her real passion was shopping!
Her brother, Claude Wesson, and sister, Dorothy Wesson Munn and Virgil’s son, Hal, predeceased Doris. She is survived by daughter, Cindy and son in law Martin Polluconi, grandson, Brandon, daughter Darla Buckner, and former son in law Roy Buckner, whom Doris loved so dearly, as her own son. Roy was always by her side, at the ready, to help with any and everything she needed. Also survived by dearly loved members of the Pettigrew family, Virgil's children, Karla, Mary, Hal's wife, Peggy and Barry Austin.
Special thanks are accorded to the many fine folks at Brookdale at Gaines Ranch who went out of their way to keep Mama happy and comfortable in her golden years.
For those wishing to do so, donations to the charity of your choice in Doris' name would be very much appreciated. Doris herself was very active in supporting Alzheimer causes.
