Verna E. "Dodie" Souder

HURST – Verna E. “DODIE” Souder, our beloved “GIGI”, passed away peacefully, at the young age of 95, on Monday, July 15, 2019.
Funeral: Visitation on Friday, July 19, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Lucas Funeral Home, 1321 Precinct Line Road, Hurst, Texas and funeral Saturday July 20, 2019 at 12:30 pm at North Pointe Baptist Church, 147 East Hurst Blvd. at Hwy 10, Hurst, Texas, with burial at Bluebonnet Cemetery, Colleyville, Texas.
Dodie was born on September 14, 1923 in Henderson, Chester County, Tennessee to Joseph Horry Spencer and Laura Belle Baker Spencer. The family moved from Tennessee to Fort Worth, Texas where she graduated from Diamond Hill High School in Fort Worth.
Dodie met her true love, Bill Souder and on February 26, 1943, they were married in Weatherford, Texas. Dodie and Bill moved to Hurst where they lived and raised their family for 72 years before Bill preceded her in death on July 8, 2015. Dodie and Bill had a bond that could not be broken. If you saw one you usually saw the other, as they were seldom apart. Dodie was sometimes called “The First Lady of Hurst” as she served along with Bill during his 24-year tenure as Mayor of the City of Hurst. They made a wonderful team and they were devoted to each other. They travelled extensively within and outside the United States, attending post office and mayor conventions and took many family trips with their children and grandchildren. Dodie was active in her children’s lives, attending her sons’ football games, involved in her daughters’ cheerleading activities and school plays. She was always there for her children nurturing them and helping them any way she could. And oh how she loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She made every effort to attend her grandchildren’s school or church activities, had sleepovers, took them shopping, to the park, the rodeo and many other places. You could find her jumping on the trampoline, sliding down slides, trick or treating and riding bikes even up into her 90th years.
Dodie was a very active lady and served her community in many capacities. She was the first female to be elected as a Trustee on the HEB School Board, served on the PTA of her children’s schools, was President of the Oak Crest Women’s Club, member of the Hurst Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, served on the Hurst Library Board, was very involved with the Miss Hurst and Miss Texas Pageants and enjoyed volunteering at the HEB Hospital. She was also on the Advisory Board of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dodie was a devoted Christian and a member of the original First Baptist Church of Hurst (Northpoint Baptist Church) where she was a loyal choir member, worked in Vacation Bible School, attended many of the church camps and was a appointed to the Pulpit Committee to search for preachers.
Dodie was very proud to have served on the staff of Congressmen Jim Wright and Pete Geren and Congresswoman Kay Granger. She worked fervently for their constituents and was able to resolve and obtain benefits needed by people in the congressional districts. Kay Granger once called her “Rolla Dodie” as she had a telephone number for contacts in about every agency in Washington D.C. that she used to get results for people in need.
Dodie was a wonderful artist, gracious hostess and wonderful cook. When company came to visit she insisted they stay for lunch or dinner and in less than thirty minutes she could have a five-course meal ready for all to enjoy. She loved people and was always there to help friends in need whether they were sick, had a death in the family or just needed a friend to talk to. Dodie was the ultimate caregiver. Starting at an early age she learned to cook for her mom and dad and siblings and helped raise her siblings. She continued her caregiving nature throughout her lifetime and always put everyone’s’ needs before herself.
Dodie was a very beautiful lady, gracious, friendly, outgoing, and very energetic. She leaves a legacy of being a kind and hardworking person, a true caregiver to family and friends, a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was the Matriarch of her family and loved by all.
She was predeceased in death by her husband, her mother and father, sister Maybelle Gregory and brother in law Lynn Gregory, brother Jerry Spencer and nephew Dennis Gregory,
Survivors: Son, Danny Souder and daughter-in-law Karen; daughter, Dixie Marshall; daughter, Billye Fowler and son-in-law Thomas; grandchildren, Shelley and Scott Souder, Tiffany Chambers and husband Eric, Tyler Marshall and Taylor Thorne, Casye Fowler, Alan Marshall and wife Thu, Leisha Cadwallader and husband Todd; great-grandchildren Ava Souder, Garon Marshall, Clark and Hailey Chambers, Easton and Piper Marshall, Taylor and Dylan Cadwallader; brother Jimmy Spencer and wife Nickie; sister-in-law Sharron Spencer Rogers and many nieces and nephews.
Contributions can be made in her memory to Hurst Public Library and/or SMP Global Missions Ministry – 8050 Precinct Line Rd, Colleyville, Tx, 76034 www.smpglobal.org , or any other charity of your choice.
Lucas Funeral Home
Hurst, 817-284-7271
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