Leslye A. Dugie

Leslye Dugie, 77, of Pasadena, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on December 1, 2019. She was born on July 11, 1942, in Biloxi, Mississippi, which helped create her sweet southern drawl. Her parents were Lester and Marion Castle.

Leslye is survived by her husband of 38 years, Benedict “Benny” Dugie; her two daughters and their husbands Sabrina and Lynn Howe, Cynthia and Jaco van Zyl; her two sons and their wives Larry and Deobra Dugie, and Brian and Mary Dugie; grandchildren Brett Caballero and Devan Howe, Baelyn van Zyl, Larry Jr. and Nikayla Dugie, and Nathan Dugie; her great grandchildren Kinsley and Kayslin Caballero; her sister Vera Ralph; her brother and his wife Sam and Laura Castle; as well as her nephews.

Leslye moved to Houston, Texas, with her parents as a teenager and graduated from Jesse H. Jones High School. She was an active member of the student body, swimming competitively for the school and serving as a majorette. She could not stand being near a baton without wanting to give it a good twirl. She also refused to give up her flaming baton until her final house move this year.

After high school, Leslye worked with various companies before beginning her 17-year career at the Pasadena Independent School District. While she loved to work and be a part of PISD, she amusingly wrote that her proudest career accomplishment was, “the day I retired.” In addition to her career, Leslye also proudly volunteered for 10 ½ years with Junior Forum, a women’s non-profit organization that provides charitable service to children, youth, senior adults and people with disabilities.

Leslye had a passion for painting and creating art of all kinds. There was not a room in her home that did not contain her creations. She loved to color, work on crafts, scrapbook, and was skilled in calligraphy. She also enjoyed playing games including Yahtzee, bunko, UNO, Skip Bo and Farkle. Family gatherings were not complete without some friendly rivalry. Tennis was another of Leslye’s passions, whether it was playing it on a league or watching it on TV. As Benny can confirm, there was not a tournament showing that she would miss.

Leslye and Benny were married on January 24, 1981, in Pasadena, TX. They met while square dancing with the Strawberry Squares.

Leslye is preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Marion Castle, and her first husband, Thomas Jerry Alexander.

The family will receive friends from 12:20 pm to 1:00 pm on Thursday, December 5, 2019 at Forest Park East Funeral Home in Webster, Texas. A Celebration of Leslye's life will be held December 5, 2019 at 1:00 pm, followed by a committal service in Forest Park East Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Houston Area Parkinson Society.