Dot was born Sept. 14, 1933, in Wilkinson County, Georgia, to Ruth and Charles H. Batson. Dot graduated from Sandersville High School in 1952 and made her way to Augusta, Georgia, where she met a handsome navy man, Thomas H. Bennett, and married on Sept. 13, 1953. They remained married for 63 years until he passed away on Aug. 10, 2016. Dot and Tom had quite the life together raising five children and living together in Georgia, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina and eventually settling in Texas in 1974 and remaining there for the remainder of their lives.

Dot was a strong, courageous, intelligent, creative, resilient, fun, compassionate and hardworking woman whose faith in God was worshipped both in and outside of each of the Presbyterian churches she attended in the towns she lived throughout her adult life. Dot was a fun, loving, empathetic, loyal sister and the youngest of six children. Her sisters, Elizabeth Batson, Martha Wiley and Jean Smith, preceded Dot in death. Her sister, Carolyn B. Anderson, and her brother, Samuel C. Batson, survive her.

She was a loving, supportive, giving, dedicated mother and leaves behind her five children and their spouses, whom she also considered her children: Ruth and Chris Dimond, Thomas Jr. and Debra Bennett, Scott and Leisa Bennett, Jeanne and Robert Racer, and her namesake and baby, Dorothy, and Jeff Watson. A sweet, loving, supportive grandmother and great-grandmother, Dot “Grandma/GiGi” is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Though we see and feel similarities of Dot in each of her five children, she was truly a one-of-a-kind soul. Her love and commitment to her family and friends will carry on in all of her loved one’s hearts as she has gone home to her heavenly father.

Visitation was held at the Moore Funeral Home in Milledgeville from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. A graveside service followed at 3 p.m. at the Stubbs-Spence Family Cemetery in Wilkinson County, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial are encouraged to the Treasure Hills Presbyterian Church, 2120 N.Ed Carey Drive., Harlingen, TX 78550, or The Salvation Army of Texas, 1221 River Bend Drive, Dallas, TX 75247

Arrangements have been entrusted to Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home, 1400 W. Business 77, San Benito, TX 78586; http://www.sanbenitofuneralhome.com; 956-361-9192.