Dora "Colette" Mavis Fernandez

Dora M. “Colette” Fernandez passed away April 16, 2017, Easter Sunday, peacefully and is now at rest in the loving hands of our savior, Jesus Christ. Our family will be forever comforted by her strong spirit and unquestioning faith in the life ever after.

Colette was born August 25, 1931 in Colon, Panama, to Charles and Germaine Perret, who had emigrated from Switzerland during the building of the Panama Canal. She attended La Chatelaine University in Neuchatel, Switzerland, where she became fluent in three languages. After returning home, she wed the late James Lee Fernandez and moved to Dallas in 1953. She proudly served as a loving wife, homemaker, Mom, and later in life, executive assistant to W.W. “Foots” Clements and the Dr. Pepper companies until she retired in 1996. Colette enjoyed cooking for family and friends, card games, sewing and crocheting, but most of all just being Maw Maw to her 2 granddaughters and 5 great grandbabies.

She is survived by her son, Tony and his wife, Theresa, granddaughters, Melissa Breunig and husband Rob of Austin, Emily Allison and husband Chris of Burleson, and her great grandchildren, Peyton, Charles, Paloma, Ada, and Brady.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, April 26th, at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, followed by a reception for friends and family to celebrate her life at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home. A private interment will be held for family members after the reception. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 11122 Midway Rd., Dallas, Texas 75229