Kathryn Ruth Dodson Baulos died peacefully Friday, December 13, 2024 at age 83. She was born November 21, 1941 in Rosebud, TX the seventh child of Joseph Marion Dodson and Lillie Mae Schlemmer Dodson. A celebration of her life will be Saturday, December 21 with visitation at 11:00 a.m. and service at noon at Grace Gardens Funeral Home. Rev. Buddy Sipe will officiate. At a later date, interment will be at Waco Memorial Park.
Kathy was part of a large, loving family with 8 children. As older siblings became adults, they helped with school clothes and other items for the younger children. She attended East Junior and Waco High where she and her siblings made many friends that frequented the Dodson home. Kathy was number six in her 1959 class. Kathy worked at Bellmead State Bank after graduation and then Baylor University’s Financial Aid department. She took college classes while working at Baylor.

In 1972, she moved to Shreveport, LA to join her sister Jean Buck and nephew Henry (Bucky) Buck. She worked for AMI holding company, then National Heritage Inc. Licensing. She was executive assistant to the president of Care Capital Holding Company most of her career, managing nursing homes in Louisiana. In Shreveport, she met her husband, David Baulos. He had restaurants in the area. Their marriage ended in just 10 years with David’s death. Her companion for many years has been her white Bichon Frise, Jules.

She was a lifelong Baptist. She grew up in Turner Street Baptist a few blocks from their house on Turner. She was active in activities and choir for 30 years at Summer Grove Baptist in Shreveport.

In 2004, Kathy returned home to Waco to be near family. Her sister Jean had moved to Dallas,

She worked for Grace Temple Baptist Church where she and many of the family were members. The last 9 years, she resided in St. Catherine Center where she was active in activities and enjoyed reading, puzzles and the Game Show Network.

She was blessed by her nieces – the Cousin Connection – that made a point to include her in gatherings. Just two weeks before her passing, they celebrated an ornament exchange, games and, importantly, her 83* birthday. They vowed to always travel to Waco for her when she could join in the celebration.

Members of the Cousin Connection are Sheila Bohannan, Joy Luedke, Gay Yglecias, Angie Cole, Lisa Phillips, Kim Good, Patty Nevarez, and Christy Martinez.

Kathy was preceded in death by husband, David Baulos, sisters Betty Dickens and husband Jack, Margie Good and husband George Robert, Jean Buck and companion Marvin Jones, Merle Neumann and husband Leonard; brothers George M. Dodson and Harold Dodson; brother-in-law Earl Pophin, sister-in-law Linda Dodson; nephews Mark Rutledge, Henry Buck, Kyle Dickens, Frank Nevarez.

Surviving is the last sibling Patsy Pophin, and sister-in-law Carolyn Dodson. Both have cared for her in recent years. Also, nieces Cindy Mitchell and husband Dick, Sheila Bohannan and husband Jimmy, Joy Luedke and husband Ron, Gay Yglecias, Angie Cole and husband Lynn, Lisa Phillips and husband Danny, Patty Nevarez, Christy Martinez and husband Rob; nephews Steven Good and wife Kim, Joe Dodson, Jasper Thomason, Derrick Lowry and wife Missy, and David Dodson and wife Emily; countless great and great-great nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to St Catherine Center staff for their loving care during the last nine years.

Kathryn was one of the top six graduates of the class of 1960: Dennis O’Brien, Stan Lennard, Kathryn Dodson, Hugh Wilfong, Betty Vaughan and Jan Massey. Stan Lennard was #1 and according to the obit Kathryn Dodson was #6. Stan Lennard and Hugh Wilfong are still alive.  

An obituary is not available at this time for Jennie Rose Siders.

Photos from Jennie Rose’s Tribute.

 
 
Harland Eugene Gaiser was born September 22nd, 1942. He died October 13th, 2024, and is survived by his two sisters, Janny and Joan. Harland was also survived by his roommate of over 15 years, K.C.

Gene, as he was known by his friends, served honorably in the United States Army and attended Baylor University, but he was most recently known and loved by the Emmaus Church community in Downtown Denver.

Gene faithfully attended Emmaus Church for close to 10 years. If you’re watching or listening to the any of the sermons at Emmaus church, you get the pleasure of regularly hearing a hearty “Amen!” from Gene. No one could miss him, and his absence in the later months of Gene’s life was felt hole his small church community.

Gene was best known for riding his bike around the Baker neighborhood and spending time at some of his favorite places to eat. If you got a chance to talk to Gene for any length at church, you were regularly invited to Smokn’ Yards or Swift’s. He wasn’t known for sharing a lot of personal details, but he wouldn’t miss an opportunity to share time with his church family over a meal.

In the last decades of his life, Gene read about 5-7 books a week. His trivia was regularly fact checked, mainly because it was so obscure, but his memory rarely missed a beat. He could tell you names, dates, places, and specific address in ways that could only be validated in our Google search era. He read so many books, that disposing, donating, or recycling all his “pocket books” became a complex issue by itself!

Gene’s favorite event was the annual Super Bowl party. He could sit on a comfortable chair, eat all the food he enjoyed, have conversation with his community, and play with the little children who ran around the house. One of the few times Gene didn’t hesitate to ask for help was when he needed a ride to the party. It’s how we knew how important this annual celebration was to him.
When Gene was asked about his biggest regrets, he was disappointed that he didn’t invest early in Microsoft, so he could make larger financial gifts to the church. I think Gene now knows that his prayers over the decades were infinitely more useful for the kingdom than any financial gift he was able to give. Gene also underestimated his regular, consistent financial gifts he gave to his small church family.

I don’t think we’ll truly know Gene’s impact on the Kingdom of God until we are again eating with him in eternity. Gene was great at pulling many young affluent couples out of their comfort zone and closer to the Lord. Gene regularly called others to lay aside their selfishness and serve. Gene was truly an instrument for the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ, both Gene’s Lord and Gene’s Savior.

Amen!!

Click here for more photos of Gene Gaiser at a Reunion