Dorothy S Presley

Dorothy was born August 15th, 1929 in Buffalo Gap, TX, the youngest of five children born to Edna Marie (Willie) Scoggin Salyers of Hamilton, TX and Sam Duncan Salyers of Cedar Gap, TX.

Dorothy attended Wylie High School in Abilene where she was captain of the girls’ volleyball team as well as the girls’ basketball team. Voted most likely to succeed, she was awarded a full scholarship to a college in Abilene when she graduated in 1946 but, due to lack of transportation, she never got to use the scholarship. She served as Taylor County’s County Clerk for a while at the tender age of 18 and shortly after worked for Mr. Sayles. Then, on October 30, 1948 In Buffalo Gap she married Horace Weldon (Press) Presley of Meadow, TX. Not long after they wed, they moved to Childress. Press went on to Chicago, IL to study appliance repair at a Montgomery Wards facility.

In 1951 the two moved to Odessa and opened Presley’s Appliance Repair, initially on 1st Street, later moved to 1904 Kermit Highway. Press’s brother, Dub, joined the business in 1953 to repair television and sound equipment. Dorothy and Dub’s wife, Jane, worked there for many years as bookkeepers, secretaries, and repairmen dispatchers. Following the death of her husband in 1986, Dorothy went to work for George and Gloria Svanas of the Svanas Law Firm in Odessa. When the Svanases passed in 1991, she and Jane, her sister-in-law, closed that office returning records to clients and donating books from the Svanas’s law library.

Dorothy wasn’t unemployed for long. Near the finish of closing the Svanas’s office, the pastor of St. Andrews Cumberland Presbyterian Church walked in and offered her the position of church secretary at St. Andrews. She worked there for about seven years before permanently retiring.

Her leisure hours were often spent crocheting. She made fifty-one Afghans for family and friends. She also sewed most everything her daughter wore to elementary, junior high and high school as well as her wedding dress. She even made her youngest son a Zoot Suit which he wore proudly proclaiming he had a personal tailor. She was a wonderful cook too, telling her sons if they killed it, she would cook it. Fried rattlesnake with gravy as well as armadillo (Remember Hoover Hogs?) and dumplings were among some of her most memorable culinary efforts. Dorothy’s Christmas candies, especially her fudge, was enjoyed from Texas to Florida to New York, to Washington state to southern California.

But what really made Dorothy so beloved and memorable was her kindness for anyone who needed a helping hand or just a seriously warm hug. She was like a big ole mother hen with wings spread wide and welcoming. She had many “sons from another mother” including T.J. Ballinger, Trey Sherman, Ronnie Barnett, Rick Hirst, Jeff Hemphill, Tom McKelvey, and Jay Lujan. She provided love, support, and custom-made, perfectly fitted clothes for Sherry Hemphill, Sharon Presley, and no-telling who else. Dorothy had a heart big as Texas. She kept a calendar recording every birthday and anniversary of all her family and most of her friends.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Horace Weldon Presley (Press), her parents and four brothers: Marvin Lee Salyers of Corpus Christi, Clarence Edward Salyers who died at birth, Ollie O’Dene Salyers of Kerrville, TX and James Alphie Salyers of Pasadena, TX. Also, Joe Willmon, a man she had a long-time loving relationship with passed before Dorothy did.

She is survived by her three children: Marla Ruth Presley Cooper and T.J. Ballinger of Odessa, David Weldon Presley and his wife Sam of Mesa, Arizona, and Daryl Gene Presley and his wife Carla of San Angelo. Niece, Lynn Presley McKelvey and her husband Tom of Arlington, TX and nephew Kenneth Lee Presley and his wife Leanne of Louisville, CO are also included as her children because Dorothy and her sister-in-law Jane swapped off duties at the appliance repair shop and watching the kids…all FIVE of them got reared (literally) by two mothers, Dorothy and Jane who over the years became as close as sisters.

Dorothy’s grandchildren are Dylan Cooper of Washington state, Major Sean Kitchens and his wife Amanda of Fort Polk, LA, Jennifer Lee Davidson and her husband Randy of Grant, FL, Melynda Ruth Mears and her husband Eric of Lewisville, TX, Dana Marie Sleeper and her husband Levi of Wolfforth, TX, Sara Beth Dammann and her husband Justin Sweatt of Denton, TX, Andrew James Dammann of Dallas, TX, Scott Thomas McKelvey and his wife Crystal of Plano TX, Katie Marie McKelvey Prophete and her husband Brad of Carrollton, TX. Everett Harper Presley of Bellingham Washington, and Ethan Walter Presley of Albuquerque, NM.

Dorothy’s great grandchildren include Alicia Renee Kitchens, Eliana Nadine Kitchens, Caleb Taylor Kitchens, Josiah Sean Kitchens, Samantha Kaylyn-Gates Davidson, Trevor Thomas Davidson, Jordan Andrew Mears, Elizabeth Joy Mears, Lydia Jean Sleeper, Adelyn Grace Sleeper, Caleb Jay Peacock, William Connor Peacock, Carter Chance Peacock, Aidan Elijah Burkle, Annaliese Grace Burkle, Avery McKelvey, Aidan McKelvey, and Benson Prophete.

Services will be held at one o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, September 5th at St. Andrews Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1415 North Grandview, Odessa, TX, 79761. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 6801 E, I-20BL, Odessa, TX 79762.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Odessa Meals on Wheels will be greatly appreciated.