Dorothy Marie Horton, 90, of Hallettsville, passed away on Sunday, March 3rd, 2024 due to complications of a stroke.   She was born September 8th, 1933, to Frank & Julia Haidusek Klimitchek at their home in Ezzell.  She was the middle of 7 children and the only girl.  Growing up with 6 brothers, she was always looked after and protected although taught to be tough and work hard.

Dorothy attended Ezzell School on horseback until the 8th grade at which time she transferred to Hallettsville High School.  She played volleyball and basketball and was a cheerleader and rodeo queen. There she met and married Wayne Horton, her high school sweetheart, on October 17th, 1952.   Shortly after, they moved to Houston where they both worked for Weingarten's and began their family.  Julia Marie was born in 1953 followed by Wayne Edward Jr. in 1954.

They moved back to Hallettsville in 1956 and Dorothy became a stay-at-home mom while Wayne continued to work for Weingarten's at the plant in town.  When the children got older, she went to work at the school in Sweet Home as a librarian in 1968.  After her daughter, Julia, was grown, married, and starting a family and business of her own, she went to work at Beran's Agri-Center & Western Wear in Shiner in 1982.  There, she, with her husband and son, helped Julia get her business off the ground and up and running.  Dorothy did anything from shaping hats to managing the boot department to participating in local fashion shows and parades to help promote her daughter's business.  Even after the passing of her husband in 1995, she continued to drive to Shiner every day until her retirement in 2004.

Dorothy (Granny) loved driving her grandchildren to Ezzell to 'make a round' and look for deer, pick flowers and tell stories about the old days.  She especially loved the story of Ratz Hill and taking them by the "Tiltin' Hilton" anytime there was a family gathering.  When the stories were not entertaining enough, she would always pop in the Ray Stevens or Jerry Clower cassette tapes to keep the kids laughing.  Her grandchildren were everything to her and even when one of them, Welby, lived out of state, she wouldn't hesitate to make the road trip to pick him up.  And no matter where her family was, she always made it a point to have Christmas Eve at her house, so if no other time of the year, they would all at least be together then.  Enjoying her chicken noodle soup and crowding into the all too small living room to open gifts under the tree was a tradition.

Dorothy also enjoyed raising chickens, deer hunting, crocheting, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, playing dominoes or ChickenFoot, talking on the phone to keep in touch with family, attending family reunions, and more than anything, caring for family.  Growing up as the only female, she was a natural nurturer.  Even after they were grown, she would drive to Ezzell to help her 2 brothers with chores, raising crops and gardening at the homestead.  The caring never stopped, and in their later days, she cared for her ailing mother and brothers when they could no longer do it alone.  Alton and Franklin both received visits in the nursing home daily, without fail.  Her family was always her priority.

Dorothy is survived by:  her daughter Julia (Brian) Beran; 2 brothers, Carl (Patsy) Klimitchek, and Daniel Klimitchek; sisters-in-law, Joyce and Rose Klimitchek; 3 grandchildren, Welby Horton, Brandon (Samantha) Beran, and Brandy Beran (John McGinley); 6 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was preceded in death by:  her parents; husband; brothers, Jesse Klimitchek, Franklin Klimitchek, Richard Klimitchek and Alton Klimitchek; sister-in-law Jeanie Klimitchek; son Wayne Edward "Chip" Horton Jr.; and grandson, Joseph Culak.

Funeral Service: 10 am, Saturday, March 9, 2024, at Kubena Funeral Home of Hallettsville. Visitation: starting at 4 pm to 7 pm Friday, at Kubena Funeral Home. Pallbearers: are nephews, Richard "Buster" Klimitchek, Randy Klimitchek, Kenneth Klimitchek and Rodney Horton; grandsons, Brandon Beran and Welby Horton. Honorary Pallbearer: Henry Orien Pohl. Officiant: Darrell Klimitchek. Memorials: donor's choice. Burial: Hallettsville City Cemetery.