Pa welcomed his grandson Joshua Adam Dodd on February 25, 2022 into his arms in Heaven.
Born in Dallas, Texas at the Old St. Paul Hospital - long gone now. Parents Louie T. Dodd and Alma Ruth (Lively) Dodd. The family lived just on the edge of Downtown Dallas on Hickory Street. Daddy had two sisters: Opal Christene (Dodd) Welch and Mary Montez (Dodd) Vasek. His Dad owned the Dodd Garage in Dallas at 3205 Commerce Street in Downtown Dallas. Dad spoke fondly of many times he would go to work with his Daddy. Daddy was quite a mechanic throughout his life - an all around do-it-yourselfer and always ready to lend a hand. At some point, his parents divorced and he moved with his Mother and sisters to Beachum Street in South Oak Cliff. He attended O. W. Holmes Middle School and the South Oak Cliff High School - Class of 1962.
When he met my Mama ... Winfred Richardson was going out to see a friend and asked James Dodd to ride along. My Dad recalled that upon seeing my Mother for the first time he KNEW he was going to marry her. He was 16 and she was 14. After the visit - Dad told Winfred to get in his car and leave - that he was now going to be seeing Patsy and thanks for the ride. Daddy actually picked his friend up and sat him in his car! The best part - they all remained friends for life! Their first date was a double date with Dad's best friend Lloyd Crocker and Margie Baldwin - a Friday night football game at South Oak Cliff High School and afterwards they ate at Austin's barbecue in Oak Cliff. They dated - roller skating at the Shamrock Skating Rink on Lancaster Rd. ; Drive-In Movies and all of the "Happy Days" fun late 1950's style!!
Daddy worked for Joe Hoppy A/C Company in Dallas in High School After he graduated in May 1962 - he and my Mother married on June 28th. They married at a pastor's house on Marsalis Ave. in South Dallas. Daddy went to work in Downtown Dallas for the USPS in the Terminal Annex Building on Houston Street. They lived on Michigan Avenue when first child was born - Paula in November, 1963. Before long, a second baby on the way - Daddy went and bought a house in Southwest Oak Cliff on Larkhill Drive in the Western Park addition. Son James, Jr. was born March 1965 followed by Louie in 1967.
Daddy worked his career with the USPS through those 1960's with 3 kids, he managed to work nights, go to college at El Centro and the UT Arlington and graduated with a Masters in Accounting and Business. I recall the many times that us kids could not be kept quited for Daddy to study for school. Times were tense - he didn't sleep much - he worked and studied hard. Mama did the best she could with us three fussing and playing. We usually went out to Granny and Papa Floyd's to play outdoors and run the creek. The show "The Wonder Years" totally describes the Dodd Family. Daddy left in the morning and came in like clock work in the afternoon. Mama had dinner ready, Daddy watched the 6:00 news and in those years a black and white television displayed Walter Cronkite and the Vietnam footage in the evenings.
Daddy bought a big wooden boat when we were were all under 10 years old. He sanded it down, painted it brown and we went to Lake Tawakoni on the weekends. Daddy bought Lake lots at Lake Palestine in 1973 and put a camper down there so that there were weekends at the lake, swimming and fishing and pulling us kids in an inner tube.
Daddy was a Webelo Leader and active in Scouting with Jimmy and Travis. There was a friend of my brothers who wanted to be a scout, he had no parental support for they were very poor. So Daddy bought him his uniform for him to participate.
So many things he did for others. Daddy saved the life of a USPS Co-Worker - John Dyer using CPR. That act changed the Dallas Post Office for good - they implemented CPR training and Daddy received an award from Postmaster James V. Lusby (FindAGrave Memorial #57792785). There is a picture of Jim Dodd shaking hands with the Postmaster, Jim Lusby and Mr. George Boylson standing with them posted on the memorial page of James Lusby. I placed it there.
Daddy was to fly to Washington D.C. on one of the first flights out of the BRAND NEW DFW/Airport in January 1974. That evening - we watched the Dallas News and saw Mama, Daddy and my Uncle Raymond there at the airport! That was AMAZING to a 10 year old girl!
Always, Daddy worked and us kids grew up in Oak Cliff. Mama and Daddy had big hearts. We had a precious baby girl that lived with us for 2 1/2 years and everything she needed - they gave her. But babies grow up and go away.
Daddy would go over and mow my Mamaw Dodd's Yard on Morroco in Oak Cliff. He did all he could to take care of my Mamaw who was alone most of my life.
DAddy was motivated, competitive and just a brilliant man. He had his job at the Main Post Office in Dallas - An Engineer - he talked a lot about process improvement, product flow time management and marketing. On the side - he established Dodd's Lawn Mainteneance to have extra income and had my brothers working and even let me mow! He had a couple more employees in the early 1980s.
Dad went back to college and got his Broker's License and got busy with Real estate in Dallas. He worked with E.R.A. in DeSoto for a while. He broke off and had his own "Dodd Real Estate Company". He mastered the VA Repo's and stayed busy driving up and down I-35 to Valley Mills in Waco to turn in bids and helped many people get a house in dallas, Duncanville , Cedar HIll and DeSoto - and more. By this time, he had his first grandchild - Gary - who looked forward to getting to ride to Waco with Pa.
The late 1980's saw a crash in the Real Estate Market and things changed. But Daddy was resourceful. He actually worked in Dallas at Commodore Insurance Company with me (his daughter) Dad would drive to various financial institutions and audited loan files for Single Interest Insurance - among other things. He did this for a couple of years. He grew tired of being out of town and found a job in Dallas running deliveries - and coming home at night. Past 65 now, at some point, he started working at the Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster. Dad always loved being outdoors and he totally transformed the cemetery from a spooky, haunted overgrown graveyard into a beautiful restful park. So many people complimented him and appreciated how hard he worked for their loved ones were there and they had not seen it so pretty before.
After his time at Edge wood - Daddy stayed on the road. He had spent many years fighting for what was right against the City of Dallas. You can see him on YouTube - Ray Road Rebel with news journalists who followed the story about big development trying to overrun the land in South DAllas. He just wanted things to be fair. We all know it did not end that way. Even after he was gone - they continue to build and forever remove the wild countryside that hoped would remain.
Daddy and I had a love for graving. We both joined Find-A-Grave in 2003 and got busy. Daddy was hands-on at our Family Cemetery - Floyd-Taylor Cemetery where my Mother's ancestors are buried. The cemetery is family owned evento this day. Daddy worked for years clearing the cemetery of overgrowth, thorns, etc. Mama said he literally made 100 truckloads back to the house for the debris to be carried off as he worked for years up there. His crowning accomplishment was the iron fence that was placed around the cemetery. What had been hidden from the world for over 150 years on a wagon dirt road was now on a paved street - with progress fast approaching and there for everyone to see.
James Dodd the grandfather - there has not been a more attentive, loving and instructive Grand dad than Daddy. He never did more for anyone than they could do for themselves. He would teach you and show you how to succeed. He lived a life that set that example Number One. Emulating him was enough, Honor, integrity and truthfulness in all that he did personally and professionally were his trademarks. No one ever had a bad word about James Dodd. He did everything by the book and to the letter, Never cheated anybody out of anything, He was not that kind of man and his grandkids saw this and learned that lesson. That character cannot be bought. He was a Christian and in later years, he read the bible more and gently share instruction with the family and told us that he knew his time was short on the world. That he had lved a good life, had aloving wife and family - how much more could a man ask for.
Throughout my Daddy's life, his happiness would shine through even after he had lost so much. lost. It freed his heart, he was salt of this earth. Knowing he couldn't take it with him - he was happy to sit in his chair, have a cup of coffee and smoke a cigarette. I think he started smoking at 10 years old sneaking puffs from his Daddy's cigarettes.
The loss of beloved Diddums was the turning point that Daddy just nearly gave up living. Then the Floyd Homestead house built in 1905 by my Great-Grandfather Oscar M. Floyd burned in 2017. Daddy received 3rd degree burns, but would not go to the doctor. He just wrapped up the burns and kept working in the hot summer of 2017 that July clearing the house and debris . Unknowingly, and infection from that fire would be what took his life. Daddy had had a heart valve replacement surgery 10 years ago The infection attacked the pigs valve in his heart and ate a hole in it. This took him away from us that April day in 2019.
It is with a broken-heart that was barely recvoring from the loss of you Daddy - I add now our beloved Joshua Adam Dodd to to Find-A-Grave. His Memorial number is 237096577 -on this Sunday February 27, 2022. We are all just beyond words with his passing. A Grandson who made you his hero and whose intellect and brilliance was that of your caliber and beyond.
Born in Dallas, Texas at the Old St. Paul Hospital - long gone now. Parents Louie T. Dodd and Alma Ruth (Lively) Dodd. The family lived just on the edge of Downtown Dallas on Hickory Street. Daddy had two sisters: Opal Christene (Dodd) Welch and Mary Montez (Dodd) Vasek. His Dad owned the Dodd Garage in Dallas at 3205 Commerce Street in Downtown Dallas. Dad spoke fondly of many times he would go to work with his Daddy. Daddy was quite a mechanic throughout his life - an all around do-it-yourselfer and always ready to lend a hand. At some point, his parents divorced and he moved with his Mother and sisters to Beachum Street in South Oak Cliff. He attended O. W. Holmes Middle School and the South Oak Cliff High School - Class of 1962.
When he met my Mama ... Winfred Richardson was going out to see a friend and asked James Dodd to ride along. My Dad recalled that upon seeing my Mother for the first time he KNEW he was going to marry her. He was 16 and she was 14. After the visit - Dad told Winfred to get in his car and leave - that he was now going to be seeing Patsy and thanks for the ride. Daddy actually picked his friend up and sat him in his car! The best part - they all remained friends for life! Their first date was a double date with Dad's best friend Lloyd Crocker and Margie Baldwin - a Friday night football game at South Oak Cliff High School and afterwards they ate at Austin's barbecue in Oak Cliff. They dated - roller skating at the Shamrock Skating Rink on Lancaster Rd. ; Drive-In Movies and all of the "Happy Days" fun late 1950's style!!
Daddy worked for Joe Hoppy A/C Company in Dallas in High School After he graduated in May 1962 - he and my Mother married on June 28th. They married at a pastor's house on Marsalis Ave. in South Dallas. Daddy went to work in Downtown Dallas for the USPS in the Terminal Annex Building on Houston Street. They lived on Michigan Avenue when first child was born - Paula in November, 1963. Before long, a second baby on the way - Daddy went and bought a house in Southwest Oak Cliff on Larkhill Drive in the Western Park addition. Son James, Jr. was born March 1965 followed by Louie in 1967.
Daddy worked his career with the USPS through those 1960's with 3 kids, he managed to work nights, go to college at El Centro and the UT Arlington and graduated with a Masters in Accounting and Business. I recall the many times that us kids could not be kept quited for Daddy to study for school. Times were tense - he didn't sleep much - he worked and studied hard. Mama did the best she could with us three fussing and playing. We usually went out to Granny and Papa Floyd's to play outdoors and run the creek. The show "The Wonder Years" totally describes the Dodd Family. Daddy left in the morning and came in like clock work in the afternoon. Mama had dinner ready, Daddy watched the 6:00 news and in those years a black and white television displayed Walter Cronkite and the Vietnam footage in the evenings.
Daddy bought a big wooden boat when we were were all under 10 years old. He sanded it down, painted it brown and we went to Lake Tawakoni on the weekends. Daddy bought Lake lots at Lake Palestine in 1973 and put a camper down there so that there were weekends at the lake, swimming and fishing and pulling us kids in an inner tube.
Daddy was a Webelo Leader and active in Scouting with Jimmy and Travis. There was a friend of my brothers who wanted to be a scout, he had no parental support for they were very poor. So Daddy bought him his uniform for him to participate.
So many things he did for others. Daddy saved the life of a USPS Co-Worker - John Dyer using CPR. That act changed the Dallas Post Office for good - they implemented CPR training and Daddy received an award from Postmaster James V. Lusby (FindAGrave Memorial #57792785). There is a picture of Jim Dodd shaking hands with the Postmaster, Jim Lusby and Mr. George Boylson standing with them posted on the memorial page of James Lusby. I placed it there.
Daddy was to fly to Washington D.C. on one of the first flights out of the BRAND NEW DFW/Airport in January 1974. That evening - we watched the Dallas News and saw Mama, Daddy and my Uncle Raymond there at the airport! That was AMAZING to a 10 year old girl!
Always, Daddy worked and us kids grew up in Oak Cliff. Mama and Daddy had big hearts. We had a precious baby girl that lived with us for 2 1/2 years and everything she needed - they gave her. But babies grow up and go away.
Daddy would go over and mow my Mamaw Dodd's Yard on Morroco in Oak Cliff. He did all he could to take care of my Mamaw who was alone most of my life.
DAddy was motivated, competitive and just a brilliant man. He had his job at the Main Post Office in Dallas - An Engineer - he talked a lot about process improvement, product flow time management and marketing. On the side - he established Dodd's Lawn Mainteneance to have extra income and had my brothers working and even let me mow! He had a couple more employees in the early 1980s.
Dad went back to college and got his Broker's License and got busy with Real estate in Dallas. He worked with E.R.A. in DeSoto for a while. He broke off and had his own "Dodd Real Estate Company". He mastered the VA Repo's and stayed busy driving up and down I-35 to Valley Mills in Waco to turn in bids and helped many people get a house in dallas, Duncanville , Cedar HIll and DeSoto - and more. By this time, he had his first grandchild - Gary - who looked forward to getting to ride to Waco with Pa.
The late 1980's saw a crash in the Real Estate Market and things changed. But Daddy was resourceful. He actually worked in Dallas at Commodore Insurance Company with me (his daughter) Dad would drive to various financial institutions and audited loan files for Single Interest Insurance - among other things. He did this for a couple of years. He grew tired of being out of town and found a job in Dallas running deliveries - and coming home at night. Past 65 now, at some point, he started working at the Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster. Dad always loved being outdoors and he totally transformed the cemetery from a spooky, haunted overgrown graveyard into a beautiful restful park. So many people complimented him and appreciated how hard he worked for their loved ones were there and they had not seen it so pretty before.
After his time at Edge wood - Daddy stayed on the road. He had spent many years fighting for what was right against the City of Dallas. You can see him on YouTube - Ray Road Rebel with news journalists who followed the story about big development trying to overrun the land in South DAllas. He just wanted things to be fair. We all know it did not end that way. Even after he was gone - they continue to build and forever remove the wild countryside that hoped would remain.
Daddy and I had a love for graving. We both joined Find-A-Grave in 2003 and got busy. Daddy was hands-on at our Family Cemetery - Floyd-Taylor Cemetery where my Mother's ancestors are buried. The cemetery is family owned evento this day. Daddy worked for years clearing the cemetery of overgrowth, thorns, etc. Mama said he literally made 100 truckloads back to the house for the debris to be carried off as he worked for years up there. His crowning accomplishment was the iron fence that was placed around the cemetery. What had been hidden from the world for over 150 years on a wagon dirt road was now on a paved street - with progress fast approaching and there for everyone to see.
James Dodd the grandfather - there has not been a more attentive, loving and instructive Grand dad than Daddy. He never did more for anyone than they could do for themselves. He would teach you and show you how to succeed. He lived a life that set that example Number One. Emulating him was enough, Honor, integrity and truthfulness in all that he did personally and professionally were his trademarks. No one ever had a bad word about James Dodd. He did everything by the book and to the letter, Never cheated anybody out of anything, He was not that kind of man and his grandkids saw this and learned that lesson. That character cannot be bought. He was a Christian and in later years, he read the bible more and gently share instruction with the family and told us that he knew his time was short on the world. That he had lved a good life, had aloving wife and family - how much more could a man ask for.
Throughout my Daddy's life, his happiness would shine through even after he had lost so much. lost. It freed his heart, he was salt of this earth. Knowing he couldn't take it with him - he was happy to sit in his chair, have a cup of coffee and smoke a cigarette. I think he started smoking at 10 years old sneaking puffs from his Daddy's cigarettes.
The loss of beloved Diddums was the turning point that Daddy just nearly gave up living. Then the Floyd Homestead house built in 1905 by my Great-Grandfather Oscar M. Floyd burned in 2017. Daddy received 3rd degree burns, but would not go to the doctor. He just wrapped up the burns and kept working in the hot summer of 2017 that July clearing the house and debris . Unknowingly, and infection from that fire would be what took his life. Daddy had had a heart valve replacement surgery 10 years ago The infection attacked the pigs valve in his heart and ate a hole in it. This took him away from us that April day in 2019.
It is with a broken-heart that was barely recvoring from the loss of you Daddy - I add now our beloved Joshua Adam Dodd to to Find-A-Grave. His Memorial number is 237096577 -on this Sunday February 27, 2022. We are all just beyond words with his passing. A Grandson who made you his hero and whose intellect and brilliance was that of your caliber and beyond.
Pa welcomed his grandson Joshua Adam Dodd on February 25, 2022 into his arms in Heaven.
Born in Dallas, Texas at the Old St. Paul Hospital - long gone now. Parents Louie T. Dodd and Alma Ruth (Lively) Dodd. The family lived just on the edge of Downtown Dallas on Hickory Street. Daddy had two sisters: Opal Christene (Dodd) Welch and Mary Montez (Dodd) Vasek. His Dad owned the Dodd Garage in Dallas at 3205 Commerce Street in Downtown Dallas. Dad spoke fondly of many times he would go to work with his Daddy. Daddy was quite a mechanic throughout his life - an all around do-it-yourselfer and always ready to lend a hand. At some point, his parents divorced and he moved with his Mother and sisters to Beachum Street in South Oak Cliff. He attended O. W. Holmes Middle School and the South Oak Cliff High School - Class of 1962.
When he met my Mama ... Winfred Richardson was going out to see a friend and asked James Dodd to ride along. My Dad recalled that upon seeing my Mother for the first time he KNEW he was going to marry her. He was 16 and she was 14. After the visit - Dad told Winfred to get in his car and leave - that he was now going to be seeing Patsy and thanks for the ride. Daddy actually picked his friend up and sat him in his car! The best part - they all remained friends for life! Their first date was a double date with Dad's best friend Lloyd Crocker and Margie Baldwin - a Friday night football game at South Oak Cliff High School and afterwards they ate at Austin's barbecue in Oak Cliff. They dated - roller skating at the Shamrock Skating Rink on Lancaster Rd. ; Drive-In Movies and all of the "Happy Days" fun late 1950's style!!
Daddy worked for Joe Hoppy A/C Company in Dallas in High School After he graduated in May 1962 - he and my Mother married on June 28th. They married at a pastor's house on Marsalis Ave. in South Dallas. Daddy went to work in Downtown Dallas for the USPS in the Terminal Annex Building on Houston Street. They lived on Michigan Avenue when first child was born - Paula in November, 1963. Before long, a second baby on the way - Daddy went and bought a house in Southwest Oak Cliff on Larkhill Drive in the Western Park addition. Son James, Jr. was born March 1965 followed by Louie in 1967.
Daddy worked his career with the USPS through those 1960's with 3 kids, he managed to work nights, go to college at El Centro and the UT Arlington and graduated with a Masters in Accounting and Business. I recall the many times that us kids could not be kept quited for Daddy to study for school. Times were tense - he didn't sleep much - he worked and studied hard. Mama did the best she could with us three fussing and playing. We usually went out to Granny and Papa Floyd's to play outdoors and run the creek. The show "The Wonder Years" totally describes the Dodd Family. Daddy left in the morning and came in like clock work in the afternoon. Mama had dinner ready, Daddy watched the 6:00 news and in those years a black and white television displayed Walter Cronkite and the Vietnam footage in the evenings.
Daddy bought a big wooden boat when we were were all under 10 years old. He sanded it down, painted it brown and we went to Lake Tawakoni on the weekends. Daddy bought Lake lots at Lake Palestine in 1973 and put a camper down there so that there were weekends at the lake, swimming and fishing and pulling us kids in an inner tube.
Daddy was a Webelo Leader and active in Scouting with Jimmy and Travis. There was a friend of my brothers who wanted to be a scout, he had no parental support for they were very poor. So Daddy bought him his uniform for him to participate.
So many things he did for others. Daddy saved the life of a USPS Co-Worker - John Dyer using CPR. That act changed the Dallas Post Office for good - they implemented CPR training and Daddy received an award from Postmaster James V. Lusby (FindAGrave Memorial #57792785). There is a picture of Jim Dodd shaking hands with the Postmaster, Jim Lusby and Mr. George Boylson standing with them posted on the memorial page of James Lusby. I placed it there.
Daddy was to fly to Washington D.C. on one of the first flights out of the BRAND NEW DFW/Airport in January 1974. That evening - we watched the Dallas News and saw Mama, Daddy and my Uncle Raymond there at the airport! That was AMAZING to a 10 year old girl!
Always, Daddy worked and us kids grew up in Oak Cliff. Mama and Daddy had big hearts. We had a precious baby girl that lived with us for 2 1/2 years and everything she needed - they gave her. But babies grow up and go away.
Daddy would go over and mow my Mamaw Dodd's Yard on Morroco in Oak Cliff. He did all he could to take care of my Mamaw who was alone most of my life.
DAddy was motivated, competitive and just a brilliant man. He had his job at the Main Post Office in Dallas - An Engineer - he talked a lot about process improvement, product flow time management and marketing. On the side - he established Dodd's Lawn Mainteneance to have extra income and had my brothers working and even let me mow! He had a couple more employees in the early 1980s.
Dad went back to college and got his Broker's License and got busy with Real estate in Dallas. He worked with E.R.A. in DeSoto for a while. He broke off and had his own "Dodd Real Estate Company". He mastered the VA Repo's and stayed busy driving up and down I-35 to Valley Mills in Waco to turn in bids and helped many people get a house in dallas, Duncanville , Cedar HIll and DeSoto - and more. By this time, he had his first grandchild - Gary - who looked forward to getting to ride to Waco with Pa.
The late 1980's saw a crash in the Real Estate Market and things changed. But Daddy was resourceful. He actually worked in Dallas at Commodore Insurance Company with me (his daughter) Dad would drive to various financial institutions and audited loan files for Single Interest Insurance - among other things. He did this for a couple of years. He grew tired of being out of town and found a job in Dallas running deliveries - and coming home at night. Past 65 now, at some point, he started working at the Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster. Dad always loved being outdoors and he totally transformed the cemetery from a spooky, haunted overgrown graveyard into a beautiful restful park. So many people complimented him and appreciated how hard he worked for their loved ones were there and they had not seen it so pretty before.
After his time at Edge wood - Daddy stayed on the road. He had spent many years fighting for what was right against the City of Dallas. You can see him on YouTube - Ray Road Rebel with news journalists who followed the story about big development trying to overrun the land in South DAllas. He just wanted things to be fair. We all know it did not end that way. Even after he was gone - they continue to build and forever remove the wild countryside that hoped would remain.
Daddy and I had a love for graving. We both joined Find-A-Grave in 2003 and got busy. Daddy was hands-on at our Family Cemetery - Floyd-Taylor Cemetery where my Mother's ancestors are buried. The cemetery is family owned evento this day. Daddy worked for years clearing the cemetery of overgrowth, thorns, etc. Mama said he literally made 100 truckloads back to the house for the debris to be carried off as he worked for years up there. His crowning accomplishment was the iron fence that was placed around the cemetery. What had been hidden from the world for over 150 years on a wagon dirt road was now on a paved street - with progress fast approaching and there for everyone to see.
James Dodd the grandfather - there has not been a more attentive, loving and instructive Grand dad than Daddy. He never did more for anyone than they could do for themselves. He would teach you and show you how to succeed. He lived a life that set that example Number One. Emulating him was enough, Honor, integrity and truthfulness in all that he did personally and professionally were his trademarks. No one ever had a bad word about James Dodd. He did everything by the book and to the letter, Never cheated anybody out of anything, He was not that kind of man and his grandkids saw this and learned that lesson. That character cannot be bought. He was a Christian and in later years, he read the bible more and gently share instruction with the family and told us that he knew his time was short on the world. That he had lved a good life, had aloving wife and family - how much more could a man ask for.
Throughout my Daddy's life, his happiness would shine through even after he had lost so much. lost. It freed his heart, he was salt of this earth. Knowing he couldn't take it with him - he was happy to sit in his chair, have a cup of coffee and smoke a cigarette. I think he started smoking at 10 years old sneaking puffs from his Daddy's cigarettes.
The loss of beloved Diddums was the turning point that Daddy just nearly gave up living. Then the Floyd Homestead house built in 1905 by my Great-Grandfather Oscar M. Floyd burned in 2017. Daddy received 3rd degree burns, but would not go to the doctor. He just wrapped up the burns and kept working in the hot summer of 2017 that July clearing the house and debris . Unknowingly, and infection from that fire would be what took his life. Daddy had had a heart valve replacement surgery 10 years ago The infection attacked the pigs valve in his heart and ate a hole in it. This took him away from us that April day in 2019.
It is with a broken-heart that was barely recvoring from the loss of you Daddy - I add now our beloved Joshua Adam Dodd to to Find-A-Grave. His Memorial number is 237096577 -on this Sunday February 27, 2022. We are all just beyond words with his passing. A Grandson who made you his hero and whose intellect and brilliance was that of your caliber and beyond.
Born in Dallas, Texas at the Old St. Paul Hospital - long gone now. Parents Louie T. Dodd and Alma Ruth (Lively) Dodd. The family lived just on the edge of Downtown Dallas on Hickory Street. Daddy had two sisters: Opal Christene (Dodd) Welch and Mary Montez (Dodd) Vasek. His Dad owned the Dodd Garage in Dallas at 3205 Commerce Street in Downtown Dallas. Dad spoke fondly of many times he would go to work with his Daddy. Daddy was quite a mechanic throughout his life - an all around do-it-yourselfer and always ready to lend a hand. At some point, his parents divorced and he moved with his Mother and sisters to Beachum Street in South Oak Cliff. He attended O. W. Holmes Middle School and the South Oak Cliff High School - Class of 1962.
When he met my Mama ... Winfred Richardson was going out to see a friend and asked James Dodd to ride along. My Dad recalled that upon seeing my Mother for the first time he KNEW he was going to marry her. He was 16 and she was 14. After the visit - Dad told Winfred to get in his car and leave - that he was now going to be seeing Patsy and thanks for the ride. Daddy actually picked his friend up and sat him in his car! The best part - they all remained friends for life! Their first date was a double date with Dad's best friend Lloyd Crocker and Margie Baldwin - a Friday night football game at South Oak Cliff High School and afterwards they ate at Austin's barbecue in Oak Cliff. They dated - roller skating at the Shamrock Skating Rink on Lancaster Rd. ; Drive-In Movies and all of the "Happy Days" fun late 1950's style!!
Daddy worked for Joe Hoppy A/C Company in Dallas in High School After he graduated in May 1962 - he and my Mother married on June 28th. They married at a pastor's house on Marsalis Ave. in South Dallas. Daddy went to work in Downtown Dallas for the USPS in the Terminal Annex Building on Houston Street. They lived on Michigan Avenue when first child was born - Paula in November, 1963. Before long, a second baby on the way - Daddy went and bought a house in Southwest Oak Cliff on Larkhill Drive in the Western Park addition. Son James, Jr. was born March 1965 followed by Louie in 1967.
Daddy worked his career with the USPS through those 1960's with 3 kids, he managed to work nights, go to college at El Centro and the UT Arlington and graduated with a Masters in Accounting and Business. I recall the many times that us kids could not be kept quited for Daddy to study for school. Times were tense - he didn't sleep much - he worked and studied hard. Mama did the best she could with us three fussing and playing. We usually went out to Granny and Papa Floyd's to play outdoors and run the creek. The show "The Wonder Years" totally describes the Dodd Family. Daddy left in the morning and came in like clock work in the afternoon. Mama had dinner ready, Daddy watched the 6:00 news and in those years a black and white television displayed Walter Cronkite and the Vietnam footage in the evenings.
Daddy bought a big wooden boat when we were were all under 10 years old. He sanded it down, painted it brown and we went to Lake Tawakoni on the weekends. Daddy bought Lake lots at Lake Palestine in 1973 and put a camper down there so that there were weekends at the lake, swimming and fishing and pulling us kids in an inner tube.
Daddy was a Webelo Leader and active in Scouting with Jimmy and Travis. There was a friend of my brothers who wanted to be a scout, he had no parental support for they were very poor. So Daddy bought him his uniform for him to participate.
So many things he did for others. Daddy saved the life of a USPS Co-Worker - John Dyer using CPR. That act changed the Dallas Post Office for good - they implemented CPR training and Daddy received an award from Postmaster James V. Lusby (FindAGrave Memorial #57792785). There is a picture of Jim Dodd shaking hands with the Postmaster, Jim Lusby and Mr. George Boylson standing with them posted on the memorial page of James Lusby. I placed it there.
Daddy was to fly to Washington D.C. on one of the first flights out of the BRAND NEW DFW/Airport in January 1974. That evening - we watched the Dallas News and saw Mama, Daddy and my Uncle Raymond there at the airport! That was AMAZING to a 10 year old girl!
Always, Daddy worked and us kids grew up in Oak Cliff. Mama and Daddy had big hearts. We had a precious baby girl that lived with us for 2 1/2 years and everything she needed - they gave her. But babies grow up and go away.
Daddy would go over and mow my Mamaw Dodd's Yard on Morroco in Oak Cliff. He did all he could to take care of my Mamaw who was alone most of my life.
DAddy was motivated, competitive and just a brilliant man. He had his job at the Main Post Office in Dallas - An Engineer - he talked a lot about process improvement, product flow time management and marketing. On the side - he established Dodd's Lawn Mainteneance to have extra income and had my brothers working and even let me mow! He had a couple more employees in the early 1980s.
Dad went back to college and got his Broker's License and got busy with Real estate in Dallas. He worked with E.R.A. in DeSoto for a while. He broke off and had his own "Dodd Real Estate Company". He mastered the VA Repo's and stayed busy driving up and down I-35 to Valley Mills in Waco to turn in bids and helped many people get a house in dallas, Duncanville , Cedar HIll and DeSoto - and more. By this time, he had his first grandchild - Gary - who looked forward to getting to ride to Waco with Pa.
The late 1980's saw a crash in the Real Estate Market and things changed. But Daddy was resourceful. He actually worked in Dallas at Commodore Insurance Company with me (his daughter) Dad would drive to various financial institutions and audited loan files for Single Interest Insurance - among other things. He did this for a couple of years. He grew tired of being out of town and found a job in Dallas running deliveries - and coming home at night. Past 65 now, at some point, he started working at the Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster. Dad always loved being outdoors and he totally transformed the cemetery from a spooky, haunted overgrown graveyard into a beautiful restful park. So many people complimented him and appreciated how hard he worked for their loved ones were there and they had not seen it so pretty before.
After his time at Edge wood - Daddy stayed on the road. He had spent many years fighting for what was right against the City of Dallas. You can see him on YouTube - Ray Road Rebel with news journalists who followed the story about big development trying to overrun the land in South DAllas. He just wanted things to be fair. We all know it did not end that way. Even after he was gone - they continue to build and forever remove the wild countryside that hoped would remain.
Daddy and I had a love for graving. We both joined Find-A-Grave in 2003 and got busy. Daddy was hands-on at our Family Cemetery - Floyd-Taylor Cemetery where my Mother's ancestors are buried. The cemetery is family owned evento this day. Daddy worked for years clearing the cemetery of overgrowth, thorns, etc. Mama said he literally made 100 truckloads back to the house for the debris to be carried off as he worked for years up there. His crowning accomplishment was the iron fence that was placed around the cemetery. What had been hidden from the world for over 150 years on a wagon dirt road was now on a paved street - with progress fast approaching and there for everyone to see.
James Dodd the grandfather - there has not been a more attentive, loving and instructive Grand dad than Daddy. He never did more for anyone than they could do for themselves. He would teach you and show you how to succeed. He lived a life that set that example Number One. Emulating him was enough, Honor, integrity and truthfulness in all that he did personally and professionally were his trademarks. No one ever had a bad word about James Dodd. He did everything by the book and to the letter, Never cheated anybody out of anything, He was not that kind of man and his grandkids saw this and learned that lesson. That character cannot be bought. He was a Christian and in later years, he read the bible more and gently share instruction with the family and told us that he knew his time was short on the world. That he had lved a good life, had aloving wife and family - how much more could a man ask for.
Throughout my Daddy's life, his happiness would shine through even after he had lost so much. lost. It freed his heart, he was salt of this earth. Knowing he couldn't take it with him - he was happy to sit in his chair, have a cup of coffee and smoke a cigarette. I think he started smoking at 10 years old sneaking puffs from his Daddy's cigarettes.
The loss of beloved Diddums was the turning point that Daddy just nearly gave up living. Then the Floyd Homestead house built in 1905 by my Great-Grandfather Oscar M. Floyd burned in 2017. Daddy received 3rd degree burns, but would not go to the doctor. He just wrapped up the burns and kept working in the hot summer of 2017 that July clearing the house and debris . Unknowingly, and infection from that fire would be what took his life. Daddy had had a heart valve replacement surgery 10 years ago The infection attacked the pigs valve in his heart and ate a hole in it. This took him away from us that April day in 2019.
It is with a broken-heart that was barely recvoring from the loss of you Daddy - I add now our beloved Joshua Adam Dodd to to Find-A-Grave. His Memorial number is 237096577 -on this Sunday February 27, 2022. We are all just beyond words with his passing. A Grandson who made you his hero and whose intellect and brilliance was that of your caliber and beyond.
