Ramona Verdene Dorsey Howard was born April 14, 1938, in Sweetwater, TX, the daughter of Maurice Dorsey and Lottie Louise (Davenport) Dorsey, went to be with the Lord on September 2nd, 2023. She died peacefully at her assisted living home. She is survived by her son, Scott Aubrey, of Lubbock, TX, a daughter, Sharmon Estelle and husband, Jeff Skoog of Arlington, TX, three grandchildren, Ashleigh and husband Trey Melton, Ryan Howard of Kentucky, Hannah Howard of Avinger, TX., and two great-granddaughters, Riley Paige Melton, of Lubbock, TX and Brielle Lyric Howard and Ramona’s sister Ronda Pullen of Dallas.
She grew up in Lorenzo, TX, and attended Lorenzo High School, graduating Valedictorian of her class in 1956. After graduation, she worked at Lorenzo State Bank for four years before her
marriage to Charles in 1960. They moved to Lubbock, TX, where she worked for First National Bank for seven years until their son, Scott, arrived and she was a “stay-at-home mom.” Their daughter, Sharmon, arrived three years later. Ramona loved being a mother and spending time with her children, and they and their grandchildren were very precious to her.
She joined the local iris society with her mother in 1964 and became an AIS Judge in 1972 and a National Council Judge in 1974. She was involved at the Regional level of the iris activities and held several offices before becoming the Regional Vice President of Region 17, the state of Texas in the American Iris Society, and served in this office for three years. She loved all kinds of flowers, but irises were her favorite. She grew many different varieties of irises in her garden, along with about 60 rose bushes, flowering shrubs, tulips and daffodils, spider lilies, and blood lilies. She enjoyed helping with the annual iris show and entering in both the horticulture and design divisions. She won many ribbons, rosettes, and top awards through the more than 50 years that she was a member. She judged many iris shows in Texas and other states, as well as gave programs and taught Judges Training schools all over Texas and many other states, helping others become iris judges. She always looked forward to the annual AIS conventions that were held in a different state each year during the iris bloom season for their area and there were three days of garden tours. She attended these conventions every year for about 35 years.
Her son encouraged her to start college and take a few classes when he was going to South Plains Jr. College. She regretted not going to college after graduating high school and decided to take a class with her son, then another class, and then classes with her daughter when she graduated from high school. She continued until she received her Associate’s Degree from South Plains Jr. College, but she couldn’t stop there. She decided to go to Texas Tech and get a BA in Education and Spanish, graduating in 1995, Magna Cum Laude. She had planned to teach school but was unable to do so because of her mother’s health problems. She felt that this endeavor was one of her greatest accomplishments at an older age all because her son encouraged her to start and didn’t mind her being in his class.
Ramona became a Christian when she was 8 years old and her faith in the Lord never wavered. Her last membership was in Monterey Baptist Church where she sang in the choir briefly and
taught a ladies’ Sunday School class for several years. She loved the Lord and tried to serve him during her life. She had been unable to attend services for several years because of health problems.
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