Dorothy L Goldsmith's Obituary
Dorothy L. Goldsmith of Richardson Texas passed away peacefully while holding the hand of her son on June 9th, 2023. Dottie is survived by her 3 children; Sons Trey (wife Tanya), Doug (wife Deanne) and Daughter Lori. Grandchildren; Carson, Kelsey (husband Austin), Benton and Kailey; Great Granddaughter Sophie. She considered her Niece Daena Ramsey and Daena’s Son Stephen her kids. She was close with her Niece Sheryl Glubok and family as well, along with her many Nieces and Nephews, Cousins and extended family. She is preceded in death by her Parents John D and Irma Little, Husband Henry Goldsmith Jr., Granddaughter Gracie and Sister Margaret Ann Glubok.
Dorothy Little Goldsmith was born on November 9th, 1931 in Benton Arkansas. Her only sibling, Margaret aka ‘Moggie’ was 10 years younger. After graduating from Benton High School she went on to study Business Administration at the University of Arkansas, where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority. The day after she graduated from college she moved to Dallas, TX where she would later meet her husband Henry on a blind date and as they say the rest is history!
Dottie Goldsmith knew she was loved by Jesus Christ and the Father Lord God Almighty. She was also loved dearly by her Family and many, many friends.
Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers:
Richardson Woman’s Club
Charitable Foundation Arbor Fund
2005 North Cliffe
Richardson, TX, 75082
1st Baptist Garland Amazing Grace Special Needs class
Click ‘Give Memorial’ www.fbcgarland.org/giving
For Amazing Grace Special Needs
Mounted Warrior Museum at Ft Cavazos (Ft Hood) www.nmwfoundation.org
Along with her Family, Dottie considered Friends are most important as well. This would continue throughout her entire life. She has life long Friends from her childhood and they travelled together as the Foxy Ladies always laughing enjoying each other, a glass of wine (or more) and leaving their mark where ever they travel. As well as her Birthday group of 50 years who played bridge, lunched and celebrated every milestones in all their families.
The two sister’s Father aka ‘PaPa’, ran a dump truck company that would haul bauxite from the local mines to the Alcoa plant where they would make aluminum. About a month after Dottie had turned 10 years old, she remembered listening to the car radio coming home from Sunday morning church. The Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor. Now young Dottie realized why men in Army uniforms had constantly come to their home and implored him to increase his inventory of dump trucks. Eventually, J.D. Little Trucking Company would have over 200 dump trucks running 24 hours a day to help the war effort in building airplanes with more aluminum.
Dottie’s oldest and lifelong friend Peggy (Perrin) Walters was born two weeks after Dottie in November. Peggy lived one street over from her. Peggy remembers the two young girls riding their tri-cycles up and down Conway Street. She remembers going to school with Dottie and joining the Girl Scouts together. As teens, one evening the two friends spied out Dottie’s bedroom window at the house across the street. A young man had come to court their friend/cousin Margaret. His name was Charlie Rich. Margret and Charlie would eventually get married. And Charlie would go to become a Country Music Superstar.
As for Dottie’s musical career, she played the clarinet in the high school marching band. And she became the master of one song on the Family piano. “Tea for Two”. Lori remembers them sitting together at the piano in their living room and she would play that one song over and over again.
Her sorority Sisters called her “Dot”. Dot’s roommate and fellow Delta Gamma Sister was Bert (Junge) York. Bert recalled how Dot loved to dance. Dot would go to Bert’s home near Joplin Missouri during the school year from time to time. The Junge family home had a community “Rec Room “on an island in the middle of a lake where epic dance parties were held. In warmer weather, the dancers could cool off afterword’s in the family swimming pool next to the lake. Unlucky dancers cooled off in the lake.
Back in school in Fayetteville, the two friends would sneak out after the sorority house curfew when Bert’s boyfriend Lloyd York and his best friend Cecil would drive down after their workday in Joplin. Bert swears they would only sneak out to drink coffee and not stay out that late. Heaven forbid they drink alcohol. And Bert also swears they never got caught by the super watchful House-Mother. Years later Dot Little was a bridesmade in Bert and Lloyd York’s wedding. The York wedding was held in that “Rec Room” on the Lake near Joplin. It is believed nobody cooled off in the lake.
After graduating with a degree in Business Administration in 1953, Dottie on a whim joined a friend and fellow Arkansan Thelma Jane Bragg in moving to Dallas Texas to seek their fame and fortune. In Dallas, Dottie worked at various jobs. She worked at a small airplane company at Love Field. Then Dottie worked at the Katz Media Agency. She recalled that young women who worked there in the Meadows Building during the 50’s were called “Kit Katz”. Dottie also worked as an assistant for future Dallas- Ft Worth TV legend Harold Taft. He was affectionately known as “The Dean of TV Meteorologist”. Taft was the first meteorologist west of the Mississippi River.
In the 50’s, Dallas Texas was a booming city in a booming state. The post war economy was being driven by oil. And Texas was oil. And Dallas was a banking center being fueled by an increasing population. After the war, many WW II Veterans were from the more populated and colder Northeast. Dallas offered more affordable living and warmer temperatures. And Texas with its booming economy offered good paying jobs.
Henry Goldsmith was one of those WW II veterans looking for warmer temperatures. He was born in Detroit on September 1, 1927. He went by the name Hank and grew up in Buffalo, New York and later served in the World War in the Army Air Corp stationed in Fairbanks Alaska. Hank had had enough of the cold and snow. When he was discharged from the service in Grand Island Nebraska on November 20, 1946, Hank drove south until he could no longer see any snow or freezing precipitation. And just to make sure, he drove an additional 8 hours until he arrived in Dallas Texas. With his aviation background and a little help from his former pilot Father, Hank took a job at Bell Helicopter.
In 1956, Dottie lived in an apartment complex in Dallas that housed a large number of young single professionals. There were lots of parties. If your sensing a theme here, Dottie liked parties. That February Dottie and a bunch of neighbors were going to throw a party for a friend, Bill Dowell, who was moving to Florida for Naval Fight Training. Another Bill, Bill Gray, was a good friend of Dottie’s. Bill Gray had a brother named Harry Gray, who had a good friend named Hank Goldsmith. The WW II veteran who hated the snow and cold who worked at Bell Helicopter.
Dottie’s good friend Bill Gray insisted Dottie should go on a blind date with his brother’s friend Hank Goldsmith to the other Bill’s going away party. Dottie asked “Who would want to go on a blind date when there were going to be tons of single guys there?” “But Bill just kept insisting that I would like Hank Goldsmith”.. ”I finally said, OK.”
Hank showed up two hours late to the party with Bill and Harry Gray. Dottie wasn’t mad that Hank was late for the date. She was mad that they were late in bringing ice and mixers for the drinks! Dottie didn’t have much of a chance to talk to Hank until late in the party. But she had decided he was cute after all. And he drove a convertible. The next day Dottie was going to travel up to Joplin Missouri to see her college friend Bert. Hank was going to be traveling on business for the three weeks after next week. But Hank asked Dottie out for a steak dinner for a month later when he got back into town. Dottie said, “I could never turn down steak.”
On December 28, 1956, Henry Stanhope Goldsmith Jr, a Roman Catholic from Buffalo, New York married Dorothy Jean Little, a Southern Baptist from Benton, Arkansas. They were married at St. Rita Church in Dallas Texas. When the Priest asked Dottie if she would raise their future children Catholic, during their pre-marriage counseling, Dottie said,” Yes”. She later admitted she had her fingers crossed behind her back when answering the Priest.
Hank and Dottie had their first child, a son, Henry Stanhope Goldsmith III. His nickname was “Trey”. He was born on October 8 . For those of you who count these things that’s 9 months and 11 days after the wedding. Hank was now working at the Wall Street Journal selling and Hank’s boss, Frank McGowan printed a replica front page of the Wall Street Journal announcing Trey’s birth.
Next was son, John Douglas Goldsmith (Doug) was born in December 30 he was early giving them another tax deduction. And finally the daughter she wanted Lori Goldsmith was born on Pearl Harbor day. Henry would always say that day was explosive!
Hank and Dottie loved to dance and they danced well together. Dottie loved to play bridge, Hank loved the social side of playing bridge. They loved to go to parties no matter the reason. As kids, Trey, Doug and Lori knew at least one evening on the weekend they would have a babysitter. That’s because Hank and Dottie were going to their dance club, one of their many bridge clubs or some other party. If they hosted a party or bridge club, the kids were allowed to mingle amongst all the guests in the early evening while eating snacks in their pajamas. Doug and Lori would fill up on their Mom’s famous avocado dip. But when the bridge games were to begin, the kids had to go to their bedroom.
The Goldsmith Family Vacations were epic. Hank, Dottie and the 3 kids would drive up to Benton Arkansas to see their Mema and Papa. Then they would load up the Family station wagon or Plymouth Barracuda and drive up to Joplin Missouri to see Dottie’s College friend Bert York, her Husband Lloyd and children David and Deion York. The kids played in the famous “Rec Room” and swam in the York’s amazing pool.
After Joplin Missouri the family would drive to St Louis to visit the Chambers. Ken Chambers was a friend of Dottie’s from College. Next drive up to Chicago to visit Clarise Dykema, another Delta Gamma. The Dykema family lived in an incredible row house on the famous Miracle Mile in Chicago.
The farthest leg of the trip was to drive to Williamsville, just outside of Buffalo New York. There the kids would enjoy the company of their Grandmother Francis Goldsmith. Francis had once been an actress in a traveling theater troupe. The Goldsmith kids were a bit scared of their Grandfather, Henry Sr., who once was an instructor who trained recruits to fly at Dallas Love Field during the end of World War I. Interestingly, as a pilot, he crashed not once, but twice at Dallas Love Field.
In nearby Kenmore New York, the Goldsmith’s would also visit the Colemans. Hank’s Sister Delores and her Husband, the Honorable Judge William Coleman and 5 Cousins, Mike, Kathy, Daniel, Barbara and Jimmy. Note: 5 kids, this was the Catholic side of the Family.
After a yearly trip to Niagara Falls, Hank and Dottie and the 3 kids would travel to Cincinnati, Ohio. There they would see Hank’s younger brother, Bob and his wife Diane Goldsmith. They also had 5 kids, Janeen, Daena, Maria, Lisa and Joe Goldsmith. Again, this was the Catholic side of the Family. At the time Bob Goldsmith was a top engineer and executive at General Electric.
The last leg of the trip was to drive back to Benton Arkansas to see Mema and Papa again. We always needed more time in Benton. It just took more time to see all of the Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Second Cousins in the Benton area. Then finally, the Family Trip went back to home. . The Family also joined more Friends (bridge players) and Families on vacations on South Padre Island when the kids were in their teens. Seeing Family and friends was important to Hank and Dottie despite all the long cross-country/cross-Texas driving. Family was together in Arkansas for Easters and Thanksgivings and a couple of weeks in the summer. Family came together in Dallas for Christmas’s.
The Goldsmith’s moved to Richardson Texas in 1967, Dallas Cowboy Country. Dottie was not necessarily a football fan. When Hank, Trey and Doug would be watching and cheering during a Cowboy game on TV, Dottie would go read a book in another room, But if Hank had tickets to a Cowboy home game at Texas stadium, Dottie wanted to go. Mainly because of the great tail-gate parties with their First Presbyterian church friends. Even though she was not a real football fan, she would cheer on her Razorbacks no matter what sport.
On December 6th, 1969, the number 1 ranked Texas Longhorns visited the number 2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks in what would be called “The Game of the Century”. The Longhorns came back late after being shut-out most of the game. The final score was Texas 15, Arkansas 14. When Trey cheered for Texas, she told him, “You need to go find another place to eat dinner!”
After Trey graduated from high school he went on to her hated University of Texas in Austin, BUT she always attended his Family weekends again making memories. Trey never left Austin and later got married to Tanya Carson on Dottie’s birthday, the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to her at their wedding reception. Trey and Tanya have two kids, Carson and Kelsey. Kelsey married Austin Richards who have Dottie’s only Great Grandchild Sophie.
Doug married Deanne Hall and settled in Garland, TX. Doug and Deanne have one Son, Benton and Daughter Gracie. Doug and Dottie shared a love for classic Ford Mustangs. Dottie drove a 1967 hardtop. Doug drove a 1966 Mustang convertible. One of the highlights of Doug and Deanne’s wedding was the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. Doug was a volunteer driver for the McKinney Avenue Trolley. The Family and Wedding party had BBQ on a historic Trolley parked after a ride in downtown Dallas.
Lori has one Daughter, Kailey Snitzer. Kailey’s Gamma was her favorite person and spent a lot of time with just the three of them together. Dottie’s last vacation Lori took her and Kailey to Galveston, where Hand and Dottie honeymooned and we all had a blast watching dolphins, eating shrimp and hanging out at the beach!
Even though Hank and Dottie were then empty nesters, they continually had family members come and stay with them. When nieces Daena (Goldsmith) was applying for law schools and Kathy (Coleman) was interning one hot summer at Rockwell, came and lived with them. When Bert York’s son David was moving to Dallas after graduating his trailer was robbed and Hank and Dottie helped him get on his feet again. Hank and Dottie were all about helping Family. They were all about helping their Friend ‘s Family too.
Hank and Dottie loved to travel. They would go across the country with friends to visit other friends. They would go on cruises with friends or make new friends. They traveled to Europe a few times, Russia, Malta to name a few destinations. Dottie was intrigued by China and visited 2 times. While there she met one of the farmers who’s farmed the land where the Terracotta Soldiers were discovered. Her Granddaughter Kailey was born in China.
Dottie was a member of the Richardson Women’s Club joining in 1970. If the Women’s Club had an event, Dottie was involved and close knit friendships were made.
Dottie worked during Markets at the World Trade/Market Center in Dallas. She would work in Apparel, Furniture and Home/Gift showrooms. Her ability to talk with make friends with anyone was her strong suite which also made her a top salesperson. When Time magazine came for a photo shoot in her showroom, all the other salespeople were posing to get in a picture, Dottie was busy working and she ended up being the photo Time Magazine published in their article.
Hank and Dottie were lifelong Republicans, working local elections judges, campaigning for candidates they trusted local, state and federal. They attended Ronald Reagans second inauguration in Washington DC as a guest of one of the Senators from Texas.
Hank and Dottie were all about Family and Friends. In fact, they came to the aid of their Son Trey who was in the advertising business. Trey needed a group of older actors to be in a TV commercial for Acorn Stairlifts. It was a commercial that would be seen all across the country. Their children still get texts from family and friends that they just saw them!
Hank and Dottie, rounded up a bunch of their friends: Charlotte /John Clark, Peggy/JC Tipton and Maryanne/Dick Meyers headed down to Austin to shoot the commercial. Trey got a phone late in the morning from the manager of the hotel where the ‘actors’ were staying and was told, “The people you have put up in the hotel are staying up late and partying so loudly that other guests of the hotel are complaining.
They are not allowed to stay here again!” Needless to say, the 9 am call to start shooting the commercial was delayed.
It should be very evident by now; Family and Friends were very important to Dottie and Hank Goldsmith as well as they enjoyed having a good time. While those of us who Loved Mom/Gamma/Dottie will miss her immensely we know that they are dancing together in Heaven, free from the boundaries of this world.
What’s your fondest memory of Dorothy?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dorothy?
Share a story where Dorothy's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Dorothy you’ll never forget.
How did Dorothy make you smile?