Dolores Maxine Vinson

Vinson, Dolores Maxine, 87, of North Richland Hills, Texas passed away September 30, 2020.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Pearl and JB Wilson. 

Dolores was born in Nevada, Iowa, where she grew up and never met a stray animal to which she did not offer shelter.  It is also where she met the love of her life, Russell Gene Vinson, whom she defeated soundly in bowling on their first date.  They got married at the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua, Iowa on July 17, 1952.  They lived wherever Gene’s work took them, first Hawaii, while he served in the Navy; Marion, Iowa where they raised their 2 children; and then Tampa, Florida, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Tampa again. She especially loved the warm and sunny Florida weather and was active in the New Tampans Club.  She was a commensurate volunteer, including at the Tampa Bay Center for Fine Arts and the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo where she was particularly fond of taking out the snakes in her Docent Cart.

First and foremost, however, she was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother.  Her family was the center of her love and attention.  She was always by Gene’s side, and was involved in her children’s lives and activities. 

She is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Russell Gene Vinson; daughter Deborah Vinson Ellenberg (Russell), and son, Lindsey Paul Vinson (Troy); grandchildren, Benjamin Vinson (Whitney). Matthew Ellenberg (Melanie), Samuel Vinson (Kate), Elizabeth Vinson, Morgan Krielman (Zachary), and Vinson; and great grandchildren, Grant Vinson and Alyssa Krigelman.  She always had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye and will be greatly missed.