George "Bubba" W. Dorrance Jr.

Bubba was born on the 26th of August 1931, in Houston, Texas to George Wright Dorrance and Marjorie Albright Dorrance. He grew up on North Boulevard and attended Poe Elementary, Lanier Junior High School and Lamar High School where he graduated in 1949. From an early age, Bubba was known for his sense of humor, friendliness, and generosity – qualities that defined him throughout his life.

He went on to attend Southern Methodist University, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and served as Grand Master in his Senior year. When the Korean War broke out, Bubba joined the ROTC, and after graduating in 1954, he entered the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant. He served as a pilot in Alaska flying jets to outboard sites until his discharge in 1957. He remained proud of his service and would often share stories of his time flying planes.

Upon returning to Houston, Bubba expected to enter the insurance business, following in his father’s footsteps. Instead, a dear friend, James (“Jimmy”) L. Bayless, intervened and convinced him to consider investment banking. Jimmy hired Bubba to work at Rauscher Pierce, and it turned out to be the perfect fit. Through decades of mergers and moves, Bubba remained loyal to the company, which ultimately became part of the Royal Bank of Canada. Bubba had found his calling! He spent his entire career spanning over fifty years there before retiring in 2010. He valued both the work of taking care of his clients and the relationships he built with colleagues along the way.

Bubba was a member of First Presbyterian Church for more than fifty years, where he faithfully served as an usher, Deacon, Elder, and one year as Treasurer. His faith was always steady, sustaining him through all the years of his life.

He was also a long-time member of Houston Country Club, where he enjoyed spending time with close friends, especially during his Wednesday afternoon tennis games and later the golf course.

Bubba’s kindness, sincerity and his warm and charming personality made everyone feel immediately welcome and at ease. An outdoorsman at heart, he loved hunting and fishing with friends and family. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his children and grandchildren at their 5-D Ranch in Bellville, Texas--fishing, swimming, barbequing, relaxing on the porch, and playing with the cats. He especially loved holidays when extended family gathered to celebrate together. Thanksgiving was an extra special time, with good food and friendly competition. Cornhole was the main event, and the winning team received an oversized trophy and bragging rights for the year.

In 1958, Bubba met the love of his life, Margaret “Margie” Ann Smith, who he noticed twirling her baton by the apartment complex swimming pool where he was spending time with friends. He had just returned from the Air Force, and she had just graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and had come to Houston to work. Bubba always joked that it was a good thing his sister taught him how to dance or he might never have gotten a second date! They were married on the 27th of June 1959, in Margie’s hometown of Salem, Illinois, and this summer they celebrated sixty-six years of marriage marked by deep love and devotion.

During their many years together, travel was something that Bubba enjoyed with Margie, as well as with family, friends, and colleagues. Some of his favorites were celebrating a wedding anniversary in London, golfing at Pebble Beach and Pinehurst, Hawaii with the children, and visiting family in Sydney, Australia. Other special trips were to Italy, France and Greece, but one of his absolute favorites was to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast of Italy with a church group when he was in his eighties.

Bubba was the youngest of three children and was preceded in death by his parents and his two sisters and their husbands, Marjorie “Peggy” Dorrance Powers and Edmund Powers, and Mary Frances “Mare” Dorrance Monteith and Edgar Monteith. He is survived by his wife, Margie Dorrance; children, John Cope Dorrance, Jennifer Dorrance Fitzjarrald and her husband Ryan, and Jessica Dorrance and her partner Rebecca Barbee; and grandchildren, Justen Dorrance, Ellie Fitzjarrald, Lucinda Dorrance, Samm Dorrance; plus, many nieces and nephews.

It is with profound gratitude that the Dorrance family thank Martina Luna, Anel Macias, Jaime Ramirez, Angels’ Health Companions, and Gentiva Hospice for their dedicated and loving care of Bubba.

Friends are cordially invited to a celebration of Bubba’s life at eleven o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 6th of January 2026, at First Presbyterian Church of Houston, 5300 Main Street in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to a reception in the adjacent Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family gratefully suggests memorial contributions in Bubba’s honor to First Presbyterian Church of Houston, 5300 Main St, Houston, Texas 77004; The Houston Aphasia Recovery Center, 5005 Woodway Dr Suite 110, Houston, TX 77056; or a charity of one’s choice.