Doris Jean Dudley Church

Doris Jean Dudley Church, 81, of Abilene passed away Monday, January 19th, 2009 at an Abilene nursing center. Services will be held Friday January 23rd at 10:00 am at Aldersgate United Methodist Church with Derrell Patterson officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel. A visitation will be held at Piersall Benton Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St on Thursday from 6-8 pm.

Doris Jean Dudley was born to Lemuel Albert Dudley and Alice Elizabeth Fuller Dudley in Inkum, Texas south of Merkel on August 24th, 1927. She was raised in the Merkel area and in 1946 she married Marvel Charles Church who was from Stith. Doris and M.C. farmed in Hale County between Plainview and Olton. In 1973, they moved to Abilene where they farmed in Taylor and Jones County's. She was a faithful member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church and an avid supporter of McMurry University.

Doris is survived by her two children; Marvel Charles Church, Jr. DVM and wife Judy of Snyder and Sue Church Pond of Abilene, four grandchildren; Dayla Merritt and husband Bert of Lubbock, Clark Church of Arlington, VA, Amy Wilson and husband David of Lubbock, and J Pond of Abilene, three great grandchildren; Dylan Merritt, Kyla Merritt, and Macey Wilson, two brothers Don Dudley and wife Pat of Granbury, and Dale Dudley and wife Beth of Tama, Iowa, as well as a host of friends and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

Donations may be made in honor of Mrs. Church to McMurry University, McMurry Station Box 278, 79697 or Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory St, 79601. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.