DOROTHY LOUISE NEWMAN CHERNOSKY

Abright star in many peoples' lives, DOROTHY LOUISE NEWMAN CHERNOSKY, passed away on Monday, the 26th of October 2009. She was 94. Dorothy was born in Houston, Texas on the 10th of October 1915, to Ernest Lee Newman and Eva Medley Brown. Her two siblings were Ernestine Eugenia Newman and James Edward Newman. Because Dorothy's father worked for Texaco Pipeline, her growing up years were spent in boomtowns in Texas where oil was being discovered: Humble, West Columbia, Luling, Tyler and others. By the time she graduated from high school, the family had moved twenty-two times.She attended the University of Texas where she was a member of Chi Omega Sorority and graduated with a major in history and a minor in sociology.At UT she met her future husband, Allen Anthony Chernosky, of Rosenberg, Texas, who was her physics lab instructor. She and Allen married the 15th of April 1939 in Tyler, Texas. In WW II, Allen was called to Cambridge Mass where he worked at the Underwater Sound Laboratory at Harvard University developing, what was to be called, sonar technology. He worked for Humble Oil Company, now Exxon, for 34 years. Dorothy and Allen were married for almost 64 years.Dorothy's life was filled with service. In 1998, "Dorothy and Allen Chernosky Day" was celebrated at St. Mark's Episcopal Church for their half century of service where they both served on the vestry, worked at St. Mark's resale shop, the Bargain Counter, until its closing, and spent endless hours in the church kitchen. Dorothy taught Sunday school and also created beautiful floral arrangements for numerous church events.At MD Anderson Cancer Hospital, Dorothy volunteered for over 38 years, uplifting the lives of many patients who rarely had visitors because of their radical surgeries. Dorothy spent quality time with patients on the "head and neck floor" nurturing them with kind and loving conversations.Dorothy enthusiastically supported Allen in his Czech heritage by joining and participating in the Czech Heritage Society, Czech Cultural Center and traveling to the Czech Republic. The Czech Cultural Center honored them as the outstanding members at the 2001 Czech gala. They traveled extensively throughout the world, meeting and enjoying people from all cultures.It was extremely important to Dorothy and Allen to take care of the disabled, terminally ill, and grieving families of the deceased. Their home was always open to families of hospital patients and Czech tourists.Dorothy loved to sew, play bridge, entertain, and work in the garden. She was a baseball fan all her life, attending the 1928 World Series in St. Louis, seeing Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig play. Then, in 2005, she attended the first World Series game that was played in Houston, between the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox. It was the longest game in World Series' history.Dorothy Newman Chernosky was optimistic, enthusiastic, and energetic in all areas of her life, especially with her grandchildren. When asked what she wanted the family to remember at her death, she said, "I had a good time!"Allen predeceased Dorothy on the 19th of March 2003. Allen and Dorothy have three daughters: Gayle Bannerot, Lynn Swaffar and husband, Jim, and Merle Rumsey and husband, Dave; twelve grandchildren: Gregory Bannerot and wife, Melissa, Shelley Quinn and husband, Tom, Marie McInerney and husband, Matt, Jimmie Swaffar, Andrew Swaffar, Catherine Swaffar, Davis Rumsey and wife, Shannan, Alexis Thunell and husband, Adam, Lauren Hausman and husband, Hubble, Clark Rumsey and wife, Natalie, Adrienne Rumsey, and Ford Rumsey. Great grandchildren include Julia, Gary, Jonathan, and Zackary Bannerot; Ryan Quinn, Tristan, Kasidee, Rory and Alexa Rumsey, Annie, Savannah, Kate, Joseph, Austin and Erika Thunell; Julia, Brynn, and Jonathan Hausman, and Ethan Rumsey.Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six until eight o'clock in the evening on Friday, the 30th of October, in the Drawing Room of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.The funeral service is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the 31st of October, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3816 Bellaire Boulevard in Houston, where the Rev. Patrick Miller is to officiate.Immediately following the service, the family will greet friends in the adjacent fellowship hall of the church at noon.The interment will be conducted at three o'clock in the afternoon, also on Saturday, at the Rosenberg Cemetery in Rosenberg. Honored to serve as pallbearers during the services are Gregory Bannerot, Jimmie Swaffar, Andrew Swaffar, Davis Rumsey, Clark Rumsey, Ford Rumsey. Honorary pallbearers include James Swaffar, David Rumsey, Thomas Quinn, Matthew McInerney, Adam Thunell, and Hubble Hausman. In lieu of usual remembrances, contributions in memory of Dorothy Chernosky may be directed to the Czech Cultural Center Houston, 4920 San Jacinto St., Houston, Texas 77004, 713-528-2060 ; or to Amazii International, 130 NE Cherokee Beach Blvd., Belfair, WA, 98528, 360. 362. 3638, http: // amazii.com.