Raymond "Chick" Dolezel

Raymond “Chick” Dolezel left worldly cares behind and entered into the presence of the Lord on Thursday, October 30th, 2025. Chick was born on May 1, 1935 in Elk, Texas as the youngest of the 14 children born to Joe Dolezel and Mary Frances Olis Dolezel. Joe and Mary were first generation Americans and Texans, entering the country through Ellis Island as World War I refugees. Chick learned to love the outdoors while working in the cotton patches and fields on the family farm and developed a curiosity about varieties of plants, trees, and living creatures. Chick entered Texas A&M University in 1953 and hitchhiked between College Station and Bruceville-Eddy to work on the farms back home to help pay for college. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets, Second Battalion, Antiaircraft Artillery. He studied horticultural and soil sciences graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education as a member of the Aggie Class of 1957.

He married Millie Elinda Kurtz from Chilton, Texas in 1958. He joined the Army in one of the first classes of Guided Missile Officers Programs at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He obtained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He entered into a career with the United States Department of Agriculture as a Soil Scientist. Chick was stationed in Palestine, Carthage, and finally Nacogdoches, Texas in 1962 where Chick and Millie settled with children Charles and Patricia. After 34 years with the Soil Conservation Service, he began retirement as an Environmental Consultant. He mostly worked with Hydrex Environmental for 20 years. Chick was instrumental in mapping and cataloging the surrounding National Forests and Reservoirs as well as establishing best practices for encroaching development into native wetlands areas. Consulting with landowners about maintaining lake dams, healthy plant life, forests, crops and waterways developed his curiosity about the history and early settlers of the East Texas area.

Chick’s family and friends were often out in the Nacogdoches area hunting for antique bottles, barbed wire, petrified palm wood, arrowheads, and metal detecting.

Those mourning his loss are his wife Millie Dolezel, son Charles Dolezel and wife Anita, daughter Patricia Dolezel Newman and husband Laney, and their families. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews and other relatives. Chick was predeceased by his parents, Mary and Joe, as well as eight brothers and five sisters. Chick and Millie were longtime and faithful members of Grace Bible Church. Chick’s community services included coaching 1970s little league baseball players who learned baseball techniques and how to live life with fairness and integrity, during his 11 years of coaching with the Nacogdoches Baseball Association. Chick was well known for helping friends and neighbors to have greener healthier lawns, trees free of insects and pine beetles, better gardening techniques, and natural soil and water conservation.

Funeral services will be held on November 5th with a family visitation at 9:00am and a Celebration of Life at 10:00am at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Home on North Street, Nacogdoches. Graveside services will be at Mooreville Cemetery, Mooreville Texas at 3:00pm.