Dorothy Kennedy Thompson

A Life Well Lived in Service
Dorothy Dale Kennedy Thompson was born on February 23, 1932, to Elsie Dale Kennedy and Gordon Russell Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. Dorothy lived in Mineola, Texas, until moving to Lubbock at the age of three. She graduated from Lubbock High School and attended Baylor University but graduated with a journalism degree from Texas Tech. Dorothy's allegiance to both Baylor and Texas Tech was always a source of great fun stemming from the outcome of sports contests.
Four children were born to Dorothy and Don Thompson: Susan Lea Lilly, Jerry Dale Thompson and spouse Kala Thompson, David Russell Thompson and fiancée Lisa Grace, and Jeffrey Alan Thompson and spouse Fiona Thompson.
Dorothy's love for family was evident to all who knew her and her extended family. Ten grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren (with another due in 8 weeks) have felt the warm embrace of Grandmother Dot. Dorothy's grandfather, George Dale, a Baptist minister from the late 1930s through 1960s, along with her grandmother and parents, provided Dot with ample spiritual and life guidance. Dorothy's other love was her late-in-life partner, Patricia Garren. From July 1991 to April 2017, Dorothy and Pat flourished at their 2 acre spread of mesquite and oak trees in Buffalo Gap, Texas, until necessity caused them to move to Lubbock.
Dorothy Thompson's life is synonymous with commitment to caring for others as she provided ministry as a pastoral staff member at Second Baptist Church of Lubbock, served as a chaplain at Covenant Hospital, and created a Breast Cancer Awareness program for underserved women in Abilene. She was devoted to all who knew her as a parent, friend, mentor, and minister.
The love of Christ and his teachings were fundamental to Dorothy's early childhood and manifest into a calling to be Pastor of Education at Second Baptist Church in Lubbock, Texas. Dorothy was ordained by Second Baptist Church on October 24, 1982, as the first Baptist woman to be ordained to the pastoral ministry in this part of the world. Dot officiated the marriages of most of her children and grandchildren, including last October 2022 marrying Lincoln Thompson to Blaire Boone in Destin, Florida. Dorothy's legacy as a minister was celebrated at her 90th birthday with a plaque from Texas Baptist Women in Ministry organization. As a minister at the church (1969 - 1985), Dorothy visited many of the church's members in the hospital, which led to her second career as a certified chaplain (1986 - 1991). Being assigned as chaplain to the women's cancer floors at Covenant Hospital raised Dorothy's keen awareness that many of her patients had no opportunity for early detection and care. This awareness and the fortunate pairing with Ms. Linda Murphy and the YWCA in Abilene resulted in the nation's first Breast Cancer Awareness Program aimed at providing all women with early screenings and medical services at minimal cost. The Abilene program was the first of its kind and featured by the Nation's Center for Disease Control and the State of Texas as a training program complete with nationally televised exposure in October 1992. Dorothy received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the American Cancer Society in September 2003.
Ministry and non-profit management did not leave much time for hobbies. Dorothy's greatest delights included simple acts like cutting the grass aboard the riding lawnmower at her Buffalo Gap house, hosting friends for wine or coffee on their front porch, and delighting in the abundant wildlife. Dorothy's love of her animals, pets and God's other creatures is greatly illustrated in her apartment at Brookdale Grand Court. Pictures of Red Buntings abound and the doves have learned that she puts fresh bird seed in her window feeder at 10:00 each morning. Roses and irises were Dorothy's favorite flowers and could be found at the family home as well as at her last house in Buffalo Gap.
Dorothy invites all those attending her service to celebrate the life given to us and to cherish all the relationships we make during this sojourn on earth. So many people have approached the family to share their memories of Dorothy from close friends to the many staff and patrons at Brookdale Grand Court. These relationships reflect the true nature and love of Dorothy Thompson.
Dorothy wants to continue her support of The Women's Health Initiative at the YWCA of Lubbock. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials and contributions by check or online to:
The Women's Health Initiative at the YWCA of Lubbock
YWCA Lubbock
6501 University
Lubbock, Texas 79413
Online to: www.ywcalubbock.org
A memorial service for Dorothy Thompson will be held September 9th at 11:00 AM at Second Baptist Church, located at 6109 Chicago Avenue, Lubbock, TX.