In Loving Memory of Dorthey Jean Weems
1940 - 2025

Dorthey Jean Weems, lovingly known as Dot or Nanny by those closest to her, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2025, in Azle, Texas, at the age of 85. Born on June 24, 1940, in Texas to Arnold and Elsie Dorsett, Dorthey carried with her the warmth, strength, and simplicity of a generation rooted in grit and grace.

From a young age, Dorthey learned the values of hard work and hospitality. She spent much of her early life working in food service, and it was during this time—as a spirited young carhop—that she met the love of her life, James "Shorty" Weems. Theirs was a timeless love story, marked by laughter, devotion, and over fifty cherished years of marriage. Together, they built a life full of meaning, grounded in faith, family, and the kind of joy that comes from simple pleasures and long, summer evenings in each other's company.

Dorthey was never happier than when surrounded by the people she loved. Family barbecues were sacred traditions—full of sizzling grills, hearty laughter, and the unmistakable aroma of home. She held tightly to these gatherings as her greatest treasures, believing that life's finest moments were best shared around a picnic table with the scent of smoke in the air and stories echoing across the backyard.

Beyond the flames of the grill, Dorthey found quiet joy in the everyday: the worn pages of a good book, the thrill of a new word search puzzle, or the steady rhythm of crochet needles as they danced through yarn. She delighted in watching classic television shows and playing games with her grandchildren, her laughter always loudest when she was in the company of those she held dear.

And then there were the hamburgers—oh, how she adored them. To Dorthey, hamburgers weren't just food; they were nourishment for the soul, a gourmet experience on a bun. She proudly defended their nutritional value and was known, to the horror and amusement of her family, for her unapologetic love of ketchup—even on steak. The memory of her dipping a perfectly cooked filet into a puddle of ketchup remains a moment of affectionate disbelief among her loved ones, the kind of tale that will be retold for generations.

Dorthey is survived by her loving children: her son, Damien Raines and his wife Shelley, and her daughter, Lorrie Ellis and her husband TJ. Her legacy lives on in her beloved grandchildren: Taylor and Jason Sanders, Kristin and Garrett Bowling, Haley Raines, Blake Raines, Riley Raines, Destiny Stranger, Matt Mason, and Dustin Kamp. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, each a shining testament to the love and laughter she sowed throughout her life.

She now reunites in eternal peace with her beloved husband, James "Shorty" Weems, and her dear parents, Arnold and Elsie Dorsett, her brother Boyd Dorsett, and her sister June Baker who preceded her in death. While the world feels dimmer without her presence, the light she brought into so many lives will never be extinguished.

A graveside service honoring Dorthey's life will be held on Friday, July 18th, at 10:00 AM at Azleland Cemetery & Memorial Park, located at 850 N. Cardinal Road, Azle, Texas 76020. Family and friends are warmly invited to gather in remembrance and celebration of a woman who gave so much and asked for so little.

In every stitch of yarn, every burger flipped, every memory shared beneath the Texas sky, Dorthey's spirit endures—a gentle, enduring reminder that love is the legacy that never fades.