Beloved mother and grandmother Janis Reid Dumas passed peacefully on Sunday morning, June 4th, at age 85. Janis was born at home on November 3rd, 1937, in Rison, Arkansas, to Eunice McGehee Reid & Bowie G Reid and her older sister Barbara. After both parents died, young Janis settled with her aunt Agnes “Abby” McGehee Huff, her husband Walter, and their daughter Dolly in Newport, AR. During high school, Janis was active in journalism National Honor Society and lettered in Lady Greyhound basketball. She loved the outdoors and was active in camping programs in her youth.
After high school, Janis rode the train to Denton, Texas, where she would later graduate with a BA in Sociology from Texas Woman's University and start her life as a “Texan.” While living in East Dallas and working as District Director at Camp Fire Inc., Janis met and married Theodore A. Dumas at Cox Chapel in 1962. She loved Ted until the end and often shared fond memories of their early days as a couple. In addition to becoming a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Janis devoted herself to improving the lives of all children. A lifelong learner, Janis earned her Master’s degree in Sociology from TWU Denton while caring for her husband and raising three active daughters. She then worked for March of Dimes, rallying others to educate and advocate prenatal care to prevent congenital disabilities. Later, she returned to Camp Fire, Inc., where she built the Kids Talk helpline to assist children home alone after school and led urban day camps for low-income kids.
When a need arose in her local community, Janis brought twelve local organizations & police together to create the Neighborhood Service Council, a non-profit organization empowering working families to be productive community members. NSCI offered after school programs, tutoring, summer camps, parenting classes & a children’s soccer league to enrich the lives of low-income children in Richardson ISD schools. Her family and friends were quick to help in this endeavor. She was also an active member of the Northwood Woman’s Club, working to support her community in service and fundraising.
Janis enjoyed spending time with her husband, daughters, in-laws, grandchildren, and friends. She supported the children in her life as a PTA volunteer and avid fan of all things family – cheering at games and musical performances, and winning at games like dominoes! Janis also led her daughter’s Girl Scout troops and delighted members with arts, crafts, silly songs, and outdoor skills. Janis joined her husband Ted in his love of trains and antique cars, enjoying active membership in the Lone Star T’s, a Model T club. Together, they organized various excursions for family and for the club filled with nostalgia and fellowship until health made travel less easy. Janis also helped Ted run the family farm, caring for the cattle and turning their little farmhouse into a favorite family retreat. After retiring, Janis became Ted’s devoted caretaker and companion. She would not leave his side until his passing in 2020.
Her family and friends will never forget Janis as a gregarious friend who was always generous with her time, a caring advocate, and a fiercely independent woman. She was an active member of Spring Valley UMC and Beacon Sunday school classes for 50+ years, volunteering with United Methodist Women, MYF, VBS, and parenting classes. Janis also treasured her time at Lone Oak UMC, making many friends in the weekly Bible Study group and the Lone Oak community.
Janis was preceded in death by her husband Ted, parents Bowie & Eunice Reid, guardians Walter & Agnes Huff, sister Barbara Kelly (Lindy), close cousins Dolly McClanahan (Bill), cousin Mary Jane Hyatt (Rex) and Jane McClanahan. She is survived by daughters Dorinda, Amelia (Michael), and Deborah (Tommy); grand-children Starrett, Abby (Josh), Blake (Holly), Kyle (Jenna); and great-grandchild Dutton; in addition to many loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and friends.
Visitation will be held at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W Northwest Highway, Dallas, on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Spring Valley UMC, 7700 Spring Valley Rd, Dallas, on Thursday morning, June 15, 2023, at 11:00 am.
A graveside service in Arkansas will follow in the coming weeks.
In lieu of flowers, our family requests memorials be made to
Northwood Woman’s Club (https://northwoodwomansclub.org/), Lone Oak United Methodist Church (checks sent to LOUMC, PO Box 186, Lone Oak, TX 75453) or Spring Valley United Methodist Church Organ Ministry (https://www.svumc.org/donate).
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Dumas family.
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