Nellie Ruth "Nell" Dobson

1927 - 2021

Nellie Ruth Dobson, "Nell", a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend to many was called home on December 14, 2021, at the age of 94 in Sylacauga, Alabama. Nell was born in Sylacauga, Alabama on April 30, 1927, the second of four children of Henry Franklin Caudle and Bessie Mae Walton Caudle of Sylacauga, Alabama. Her father worked in the trucking maintenance department at Avondale Mills, while her mother was a homemaker. Nell married the love of her life, Donald Ray Dobson, and they continued to call Sylacauga, Alabama home. On March 24, 1949, she gave birth to twin boys - Donnie Wade Dobson and Tommy Ray Dobson. She gained a daughter-in-law (Cheryl) in 1973. She became a proud and generous grandmother in 1977. The Dobsons were initially distributors for Pure Oil. In 1949, Nell was an accountant by trade and worked with Kenneth Williams, CPA, for many years while her husband, Ray, operated a filling station at the corner of Fort Williams and Broadway. Ray and Nell became small business owners in Sylacauga when they opened a Citi Service Station where Marble City Plaza is today. Nell was an accountant for Ed Bentley, who was in the construction business. In 1957, the Dobsons opened the Marble Castle Service Station on what is now Highway 511 and Nell continued to work for Ed Bentley for a while. In April of 1963, the Dobsons moved to open Dobson's Grocery on Highway 21 across from Fairmont. In 1995, the Dobsons built a new store building in the same location on Highway 21 and continued to operate Dobson's Grocery and other businesses until January of 2004 when they both retired. Mrs. Dobson gave their places of business the personal touch, cleaning the store, stocking shelves, performing the accounting, and tending to customers. Although, they had cashiers and people pumping gas for customers, Nell would give her husband a mid-day break by operating the store herself. Ray and Nell were members of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church. Nell will always be remembered for her love of people, her love and devotion to her family, her grace, her smile she always gave to her customers, and giving candy to young children who came into Dobson's Grocery store. Nell loved taking care of her plants and flowers, sewing, and baking tea cakes, pound cake and her cornbread. She treasured every moment with her family including family dinners, holidays and trips to Gulf Shores. Nell was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Ray Dobson, her son, Donnie Wade Dobson, her parents, Henry Franklin Caudle, Sr. and Bessie Mae Walton Caudle, her sister, Mary Faye Boze, and her brother, Henry Franklin Caudle, Jr. She is survived by her son, Tommy Ray Dobson (Cheryl), her granddaughter, Lisa Lynn Dobson, and her sister, Phyllis Joycelin Pate, her niece, Fran Vincent (Tim), her nephews Bruce Pate (Donna), Edward Boze, and Ken Boze, great nieces Kaitlyn, Madisyn, Broox, and great nephews Scott, Luke, Lee Gray, and Christopher. The family will hold a private visitation. The funeral and burial are to be held at Evergreen Cemetery on December 17, 2021 at 2pm. Pall bearers will be Bruce Pate, Tim Vincent, Luke Vincent. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to Wesley Chapel, 820 West Park Street, Sylacauga, AL 35150-1333.