Dorothy Lene Benson-Brown was born in Limestone County, Texas in 1937 to Ethel Lena Palmer and Isaac Heron Madison. She grew up as a child in Mexia, Texas and moved with her family to Corpus Christi, Texas in 1939. She attended Coles, Booker T. Washington, and George Washington Carver elementary schools. She attended G.W. Jackson in Corsicana, Texas where her educational outlook on life was forever changed. She returned to Corpus Christi and finished school at Solomon Melvin Coles in 1955. She has been a faithful alumnus and member of the Class of ’55 organization ever since.
Dorothy grew up attending St. Paul United Methodist Church and gave her life to Christ as a young teenager. She was very active in the church as a member of the choir, Circle Ruth and served as Youth Director of the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF). She was proud to say that almost all of the youth she mentored stayed active in the church throughout their adulthood and three of them became pastors.
In 1984, Dorothy became a member of St. John Baptist Church where she served as member of the Faith Evangelism, Finance, Golden Leaves, Choir, Beautification, Vacation Bible School and Bulletin Stuffers ministries. She served on the Food Service committee, and as leader of Girls in Action, Women’s Missions and New Member Orientation. She also served as Sunday School Teacher for the Youth and Small Group 2 Class 4, Food Pantry Coordinator, Health Care Ministry Follow=up Co-coordinator and Benevolent Ministry Co-Director. Lastly, Dorothy served as Director of Homebound Missions, Homebound and Hospital Ministry, Young Baptist Women and Women’s Day Chair.
Dorothy attended Del Mar College where she earned Associates degrees in Communication and Early Childhood Education. She furthered her education by attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1984 in Communication and a Master’s degree in 1989 in Curriculum Instruction. She attended university events as a proud alumna.
Dorothy got involved in civic life through Robert L. Moore Community Center as a youth, then later as a mother and became a member of Baby’s Health & Day Care which progressed to board member and ended as Assistant Director.
Dorothy became an early member of the NAACP, a member of the Texas Association of Blacks in Higher Education, and the Black History Culture Committee of which she was a past president. She founded Black Awareness Days in 1975 and brought the celebration of Juneteenth back to South Texas. She commissioned the help of Senator Al Edwards to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Her committee coordinated the celebration in Corpus Christi from 1975 until 1985 and then turned it over to the NAACP.
Dorothy became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. on Nov. 16, 1985. She served two terms as President of the Corpus Christi Alumnae Chapter and had lines through which she brought her daughters into the sorority in 1996. She later became an honored Delta Dear.
Dorothy was married to Percy William Lott and together they had Baron C.R. Lott, Sr. (deceased 2012), Windolyn Evon Lott English, and Rodney Madison Lott. She married Oscar T. Benson and to them was born Thea Lanai Benson Cain. Later she married Raphel Brown of Cuero, Texas who has proceeded her in death.
Surviving Dorothy are her brothers Claudell and Waunell Madison (Mae) and her sister Apostle Fannie M. Wallace (William), her daughter Windolyn Evon Lott English, son Rodney M. Lott (Cheryl) and daughter Thea L. Cain (Odes), her grandchildren Baron C.R. Lott, Jr., Julia Graham, Crystal M. English Roberts (Andy), Troy D. Lott (Amanda), Christina Lott Newton(Roy), Tarah O. Cain and Micah O. Cain. She also leaves behind ten great-grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and family members.
Visitation will be held at Memory Gardens Funeral Home on Friday, May 25, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with The Omega Omega ceremony to take place at 7:00 p.m. that same evening.
Funeral Service will be held at St. John Baptist Church on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. with entombment to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery.
