Dorthy Ruth Young

Dorthy Ruth Parker Young was born on April 29, 1931 in Laredo, Texas to Gordon Powell and Addie B Parker. Dorthy went to be with Jesus on August 25, 2026 at the age of 95.

Dorthy was predeceased by her parents, sister Elanor Marie Parker, brother Wylie Ross Parker, sister Lola Joy Parker McClanahan, her husband Earl Santee Young Jr, son Michael Ross Young, grandson and wife Joseph Earl Young and Rosalinda Young, and great grandson Cody Hunter Young. Dorthy is survived by son Earl Santee Young III and wife Linda, son Gene Powell Young and wife Cindi, daughter Mary B Young Ayers and husband Tom, 6 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren.

Dorthy grew up in the oil camps of South Texas where her father was Chief Engineer for Humble Oil Company. They moved to Houston until the start of WWII, moved to Sabinal and finally, Three Rivers where she graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1948. Dorthy attended Baptist Memorial Hospital School of Nursing to receive her Registered Nurse certification. While there, she made a life-long friend and confidant in Carol Miller Poss, and met the love of her life, Earl. She was known to her friends as the ‘Patcher of cowboy shirts and broken hearts’ for her sewing and match-making skills. 

When Earl was drafted into the Army and received orders to ship out to Korea in 1951, they decided in May to marry. Since you could not be married and a nursing student, they eloped to Lake Charles, Louisiana, with the blessing of both sets of parents, only to find that out-of-state brides must be 21. So, they were joined by the Parkers and the Youngs for their marriage. Their marriage remained a secret to everyone, even Carol, until after graduation.

Dorthy worked at many nursing jobs in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California until she became the Poteet ISD School Nurse, and cared for students for 14 years. She finished her official nursing career in 1993, retiring from the Texas State Public Health Department.

Dorthy and Earl were avid square dancers and danced all over the country. They were long- time members of Promenade All, based in McArthur Park, and later Astro Twirlers, when the kids got old enough to join them.

After retirement, Dorthy and Earl hitched up their travel trailer and set out to see the United States. They traveled as far west as California and as far north as Alaska, coming home for the winters.They took their square dance clothes and would find clubs to dance with, most everywhere they went. After several years, they discovered their home-away-from-home at Riverbend Campground in South Fork, Colorado. Even after Earl passed away, Dorthy continued to return for the summers until her health wouldn’t allow it. She made many friends there and kept the flower bed blooming all summer long.

Dorthy was always finding ways to help someone that needed it. While she worked, she would moonlight at Pleasanton Hospital and Mercy Hospital to cover shifts that needed a nurse. She would serve as a private duty nurse for friends when needed, make home visits. When Riverbend was evacuated due to forest fire, she volunteered at the evacuation site at the pharmacy, helping people get the medications that were left behind. Even after dementia reared its ugly head, she continued to try and help her friends at New Haven Memory Care, often ‘firing’ the staff if they didn’t meet her high standards.

Dorthy drifted into the arms of Jesus gracefully and peacefully on August 25.

Dorthy was a loving wife and mother, a faithful friend, and a wonderfully caring nurse. She will be remembered by many and loved by all who remember her.

A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor at St. John Lutheran Church on September 5, 2026, at 1:00 PM. Family and friends are invited to gather and share memories, laughter, and stories, honoring the remarkable life Dorthy lived and the love she shared. Family requests that anyone attending the service to wear bright clothes.

Please send floral arrangements directly to the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions to be made in Dorthy's name to St John Lutheran Church, 1702 TX Hwy 97, Jourdanton, Texas 78026, or the American Cancer Society, ensuring her legacy of caring continues to inspire others.