Dorothy Kouba

Dorothy Kouba, of Hallettsville, was born on January 25, 1932, in Moulton, Texas, to Thomas H. & Rosie Welfl Tousek. She lived life most of her 94 years to the fullest. She was mischievous, feisty, creative, resourceful, faithful and very hardworking. These qualities provided the foundation that helped her persevere through the good and bad times of her life.

As a little girl, Dorothy was known to intuitively get into mischief. When she found herself in trouble she would run away to her aunt and uncles house next door with her dogs by her side. She also managed to get lost in the corn patch during a thunderstorm and nearly drowned leaning over a tub of water. As she grew older, and apparently sneakier, she got into trouble for putting to many miles on the family car. She quickly figured out how to disconnect the odometer so the mileage would not display. The fact that story was retold meant her cleverness was short lived.

Dorothy’s childhood was filled with not only a loving home but hard times. As a young girl, she felt the pain of the United States Draft when her Daddy was called to serve his country. The memory of watching him hitchhike to leave their home broke her heart and resulted in a major lifestyle change as she had to shoulder many of the chores. This memory along with rationing during the Great Depression shaped her into the hard working, resilient and resourceful woman she became.

Dorothy attended the Moulton Catholic school and graduated from Moulton High School where she was a proud member of the Kittens volleyball team. Shortly after graduation, her big eyes and feisty spirit stole the heart of James Kouba whom she married in 1951, months before he was drafted by the United States Army. They spent a few months together in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, during basic training and then returned home to Moulton while James was stationed in Germany.

Upon his return, James accepted a job at Hoffer’s Drive In and they made their lifelong home in Hallettsville. Dorothy did not work full time but would go to “the store” to help out, so James could eat lunch. When Jimmy was born in 1955, she took him to work with her, keeping him in a playpen in the warehouse. In 1961, James bought a small tract of land that was covered with trees, brush and poison ivy that she was not initially happy about. Together, they cleared the property by hand and built a home they took pride in. In 1966, Jennifer was born and completed the Kouba household.

Dorothy was not the typical housewife of her time, she was exceptional. She was not only neat, but organized and resourceful. Nothing was ever too old to throw away. She repurposed clothing and furniture into quilts, birdcages, Christmas décor and many other projects. She was an incredible seamstress and crafty with woodwork. She sewed all of the clothing for the family until the early 1980’s and created her own lawn décor. She built wooden seasonal cutouts, benches and created reindeer from logs. Her work was perfection and she had the patience to take see a project through to the end. Her yard was also a testament to her work ethic. She kept her lawn mowed and well-tended. She took pride in always doing her best.

Dorothy utilized her time efficiently and never stood still. She preferred to be outdoors but kept a very tidy and organized home and became an exceptional cook. She had rules and made sure not only her children but everyone she welcomed into her home abided by them. One of her rules was smoking in her home was strictly prohibited. She crafted a “No Smoking” sign out of red felt and hung it where it was visible to all guests.

In the mid 1970’s, Dorothy returned to the workforce, working at Weingartens and Better Beverages. After the flood of 1980, she returned to Hoffer’s to manage the Washateria. While in the Washateria, she made many friends. No one was too rich or too poor for her to befriend. She was genuine, and always willing to help someone in need. When a customer’s clothing needing alterations or patches, she would take them home and fix them for little or no compensation.

After raising her family one of Dorothy’s joys was watching her grandchildren grow up and cheering for them in their sporting events. She was a true Little League supporter and proud Sacred Heart Indian fan for over 65 years. She took a lot of pride in all of her grandchildren attending and graduating from a Catholic School. She always made sure Jimmy took her with him to sporting events and when Jennifer’s suburban was filled with car seats and there was no room, she would climb in the back and ride illegally so she would not miss a game.

Dorothy was efficient and spent her time wisely. She also helped James out in every way she could. When they owned and operated Nu Way Pest Control, she would have the chemical trailers filled up for James to hitch up and spray after he got off at Hoffer’s. On one occasion, she must have gotten a little distracted and forgot to put blocks in front of the tires because the full trailer rolled down the hill, narrowly missing the house. She also enjoyed accompanying him on coastal fishing trips, camping at Lake Sommerville and playing penny machines at Coushatta.

Dorothy was a faithful wife and a wonderful mother. She stood by her vows for 11 years after James suffered a debilitating brain aneurysm in 1997. At that point she lived to care for him and her social outlet was her job. After he passed away in 2008, she continued to work at Hoffers until she suffered two strokes on her 89th birthday. At that point, she decided it was time to retire. In November 2022, she made her home at Hallettsville Rehab. Even though she was no longer physically able to work circles around everyone else, her feisty spirit continued to show. The residents and staff at Hallettsville Rehab became her extended family and gave her life an added dimension of friendship and purpose.

Dorothy was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, ACTS community and a nominee for the City of Hallettsville Hospitality Award.

Dorothy is survived by: her son Jimmy & wife Liz; daughter Jennifer Kraatz & husband Trey; seven grandchildren, Brian (Jessica), Keith (Taylor) Kouba; and Tyler (Bailey-Jo), Austin, Trenton, Victoria and Alexandra Kraatz; six great grandchildren, Caden, Caroline, Cameron, Beckham, Bowen Kouba and Livvie Kraatz; and sister Florine Mozisek.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents and devoted husband of 57 years James J. Kouba.

Funeral Mass Service: 11 am, Monday, February 23, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville with Visitation starting at 9 am and Rosary starting at 10:30 am. Officiant: Rev. Michael Rother. Pallbearers: her 5 grandsons and nephew Danny Roznovsky. Memorials: Sacred Heart Catholic School or Charity of Your Choice. Burial: Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.