Marie D. Veal

Marie Lewis was born the second of four children on November 18, 1936 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Jimmie and Helen Lewis. She graduated from Dunjee High School in 1954 also in Oklahoma City, and went on to attended Langston University in Oklahoma and New Mexico State University.

After traveling, she moved to California in the mid-1960s eventually settling in San Diego. There she met and married Charles Dobson and had two children, James and Charlene. Later in life she met and married Roland Veal and blended their family to 6 children including Cathy, Vernel, Nancy, and Roland Jr.

Marie was employed with the Head Start program and Neighborhood House Association before completing her career at Fremont Elementary School as a teaching assistant, retiring in 1988.

Marie’s organizations and affiliations include serving as past Daughter Ruler for the Lillian B. Gilliam Elks Temple and past Worthy Matron for the Rose of Sharon Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star. She also enjoyed dancing, traveling, attending horse races, and going to the casino.

Marie Dobson Veal was preceded in death by her parents, Jimmie and Helen Lewis, brother Jimmie Jr., sister Kanzado, husband Roland, and daughter Vernel. She leaves to cherish her memory sister Aretha Berry of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; sons James Dobson and Roland (Melody) Veal Jr. both of San Diego, California; daughters Charlene (Derrick) Isaac and Nancy Veal of San Diego, California and Cathy Deloso of Sacramento, California; 15 grandchildren ReyHaunna, James Jr., Rayneshia, Daniel, Breanna, Lauren, Michell, Destinee, Derrick II, Latrice, Andrea, Naomi, Bernard Jr., Christopher, and Shannon; 11 great-grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, adopted children, and friends.