DOROTHY HELEN MATHENA ELROD passed
away peacefully at home at the age of 101 on
Aug. 27, 2023, with burial in Evergreen Cemetery
at Ranger, TX.
She was preceded in death by her parents Victor
& Trudy Baker Mathena, husband Ross Elrod (RHS-
1938) & sister Doris Mathena Merryman (RHS-1941).
She is survived by her sons, Thomas Ross Elrod,
Jr., Anthony David Elrod, her foster son, Eric
Chapa, 4 grand-children, and 1 great-grandchild.
Born in Ranger, TX, she spent her childhood in
Ranger and got to know many people while helping
at her mother's flower shop. She graduated from
Ranger High School in the Class of 1939. She was
the last surviving member of her class. Dorothy
attended Ranger Jr. College in 1940 & then Baylor
University. Mrs. Elrod taught at Edinburg High
School for over 40 years and spent summers &
holidays in Ranger with family. She loved
getting to know her students and was proud to
have touched the lives of so many. Picking her
granddaughters up from school and taking them
to McDonald's were some of her most cherished
memories.
After retiring, she participated in class reunions
for many years and looked forward to seeing and
talking to her former students and has stayed in
touch with many. As an avid historian, she par-
ticipated in the Ranger Historical Society, helped
with genealogy searches, enjoyed antiques and
telling stories about the people and events from
her life. She frequently enjoyed shopping on the
television shopping channels and was still on
Facebook until her health began to decline. When
asked about the secret?to her long & healthy life,
she always replied that her earliest memories were
of being in church and that she always trusted her
faith to guide her.