Irl Lorina Spell Dollahite

Irl Lorina Spell Dollahite, 96, a resident of Houston, Texas passed away Friday, October 19, 2012 at Memorial Woods. Irl is survived by daughter, Jo Ann Bellew of Houston, Texas; granddaughter Renee Bellew of Dallas Texas; grandson Ryan Bellew of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two great grandsons ,Joseph and Henry Bellew of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two sisters, Katy Hunt of Lake Jackson, Texas and Annie Bertrand of Lafayette Parish and twenty nine nieces and nephews. She was a native of Lafayette Parish, and a graduate of Judice High School, and Southwestern Louisiana Institute now University of Louisiana. She taught school at the Carencro Elementary in l936 and the Myrtle Place Elementary School in l941 at Lafayette, Louisiana. While her husband attended Optometry College, she taught at the Riverside Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee. In l947 she taught at the Manley Elementary School in Orange, Texas. Irl was a past Sunday school teacher and vacation bible school teacher at the Pharr Chapel United Methodist Church in Morgan City, La. She was a classroom teacher at the Shannon Elementary School for many years. She helped organize and taught the first special education class in east St. Mary parish at the Shannon School in 1959. Irl also helped organize and taught in the first reading laboratory in east St. Mary parish at the Shannon School in 1966. Later she became a reading consultant in 1969 and retired as a reading specialist in 1972. Irl was a past vice president and program chairman of the Nichol’s State University reading council; past PTA president of the Morgan City High and Elementary School; past president of the Morgan City Home Demonstration Club; past president and honorary member of the Patterson Garden Club; past president and reserve member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Chi chapter of St Mary Parish and past state committee chairman of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Epsilon State. She was a member of the Louisiana retired teachers association and AARP. She was past secretary of the ST. Mary Parish Retired Teachers Association. Irl loved being a housewife, mother and teacher. For many years after teacher retirement she attended arts and craft classes taught by Yvonne Zwigler at the Morgan City recreation center. She made beautiful quilts, wall hangings and pillows. She loved traveling, playing cards with Friendship Club of Patterson and growing hybrid daylilies in her yard. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at Twin City Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at Twin City Funeral Home. Visitation will resume from 8:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Thursday at the funeral home. Irl will be entombed in the Morgan City Cemetery Mausoleum.