OBITUARY TEXT

DOTY, MONTRUE IRVIN, known as Monty to her friends and family, and a member of the greatest generation, died Tuesday, October 28, 2003, at Presbyterian Village North. She was born on April 23, 1922, in Hillsboro, Texas, the eldest child of Walker Mitchell Irvin and Dulcie Marie Aldridge Irvin. She attended public schools in Hillsboro and graduated from Hillsboro High School and Hillsboro Junior College. She was enrolled in North Texas State Teachers College, now the University of North Texas, pursuing her degree in library science when World War II forever changed her plans. Although she was not a veteran, she served her country working at the Consolidated-Vultee plant in Fort Worth as a timekeeper while the plant turned out B-24 Liberator bombers and the early prototype for the B-36. As the war went on, school districts in Texas became desperate for teachers. She found that she could take a teaching job with a temporary certification and earn more money, money that her family needed after her father's death. Eventually, she took a teaching job in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and there she met a young Marine sent home to recover from severe wounds received on Guam. The Marine returned to active service and left to attend Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. She followed after the school term was over and they were married in the post chapel on July 20, 1945. The wartime marriage endured for 58 years and a day. At the war's end, the young couple returned to Texas and enrolled in the University of Texas using his GI benefits to secure the first university educations in their families. Monty had been bitten by the teaching bug, and changed her major to education. She was the first to graduate and took a teaching job in Pflugerville, then a long drive from Austin, to help get her husband through school. The young family moved about Texas building a career base before settling in Farmers Branch in 1957. After staying at home with her children for a few years, she returned to the classroom in what was then the Carrollton Consolidated School District, now the Carrollton -Farmers Branch ISD. Her one and only school was Valwood, now Leroy P. Montgomery , Elementary. She taught the eighth, fifth, and fourth grades there and, in her words, trained not only Mr. Montgomery, but also three other principals, before retiring with over 30 years of service to the community and District. In her spare time, she was a Girl Scout Leader, an active member of her church, a Sunday School teacher, a garden club member, an unabashed cheerleader for her family, and (at last!) a grandmother. After retiring, she continued to teach in the ESL program in Farmers Branch. She was a teacher in every respect. The shaking of her finger could reduce even the most difficult student to jelly, but the sincerity of her praise lifted many students to great achievements in the classroom and beyond. She and her husband taught their children and nieces and nephews that service is an every day activity and responsibility. Monty Doty was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Ann Cox, and her husband, Glen Doty. She is survived by her children Sue Doty, MD, and Jimmy Doty, granddaughters Amy, Megan and Beth Doty, grandson Seth Doty, sisters Edna Orr, Marie Ramsey, Yvonne Lawrence, and Dell Irvin, brothers W. M. Irvin, Ross Irvin and Frank Irvin, brothers and sisters in law, many nieces and nephews, and many, many former students. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday. October 31, 2003, at Christ United Methodist Church, 2807 Valwood Parkway in Farmers Branch. Interment will follow in Restland Memorial Park. Family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, October 30, 2003 at Restland Funeral Home. Restland 972-238-7111 restlandfuneralhome.com