Dorothea Mae House

Dorothea Mae House passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, April 24, 2022.

Mrs. House was born on September 16, 1938, to Lawrence and Mary Arivett in Langley, the 5^th of 10 children. She attended Langley High School and worked summers picking tomatoes in Indiana with her family. Dorothea married Johnny Burgess on July 23, 1958, and they raised two daughters, Barbara and Joan, and loved and cared for dozens of nieces and nephews before Johnny passed on February 28, 1981. Dorothea married Jack House on April 14, 1984, and she gained a daughter and three sons. Dorothea had a lot of different titles over the years including, but not limited to, Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Aunt, Mamaw, Prayer Warrior, Peacemaker, and Christian Lady. Dorothea loved her family deeply and devoted her retirement to loving and taking care of her grandchildren.  Dorothea made everyone that entered her home feel loved and welcomed.  She loved cookbooks, recipes, (that she did not follow) and home remedies that she often tested on her grandchildren.

She was passionate about serving the Lord and loved her Bissell Chapel Church family. She spent countless hours studying and memorizing Bible scriptures and impressed the importance to do so to her grandchildren. She loved taking her grandchildren on adventures and spent many days vacationing at Branson, fishing, and swimming in the river, or sitting around a campfire. She was a peacemaker who would not tolerate a bad attitude and one of her favorite Bible verses that she used with her grandchildren,” A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.” To keep the peace, she invented her own rules to the board games played at her house. Monopoly was always played by “Mamaw’s rules.” She had a bossy streak and wasn’t afraid to let you know what she was thinking, but it was always said in love. She blamed the bossiness on her Arivett blood, and said it was because she was raised between two brothers. She met unthinkable challenges in her life with grit, without self-pity, with determination and always with unshakeable faith. She loved us, her family, fiercely, and her selflessness and sacrifice for us, her steadfastness and her prayers are the reason we will carry on strong. When we leave this earth, we all want to leave a legacy and life we can be proud of, like Dorothea House. She lived a full happy life. We find comfort in the fact that she is home with Jesus.

Dorothea was preceded in death by her husbands, Johnny Burgess and Jack House; her parents; and 6 siblings: Duelne Cowart, Winnon Arivett, Thelma Phillips, Vernice Burgess, Vernon Arivett, and Glendora Hunter, and two sons, Larry and Kevin House.

She is survived by three daughters: Barbra Chambers and husband, Scott, Joan Isham and husband, Joe, all of Dierks, and Denise and husband, Don Schenk, of Stinnett, Texas; one son, Troy House and wife, Rhonda, of Langley; one daughter-in-law, Audrey House; and one sister-in-law, Betty Ewart of Athens. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren: Jessica Cowart, Jami Mosley, Tiffany Smith, Jonathan Isham, Terry House, Brandon House, Scott House, Rodney Bell, Robert Bell, Candy Bell, Danielle Crawford, Chandra Budd, Lacey Schwab, Kelly Roberston, Daniel Chambers and Samantha Chambers; 23 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren; two brothers, Leroy Arivett and Hoyt Arivett; one sister, Jeanette Magar; and a host of family and friends.

Graveside services will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in the Athens Cemetery with Jonathan Isham and Adam Smith officiating.

Visitation will be held Tuesday evening, 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, in the Smith Family Funeral Home Chapel in Glenwood.

Pallbearers: Rodney Bell, Robert Bell, Scott House, Brandon House, Terry House, Chris Crawford, Jeffery Mosley, and Parker Bell.

The family extends their thank you to Dierksen Hospice and a special thank you to Betsy and Candy.

Guest registry is at www.smithfamilycares.com.