E.M. Dozier, Forney Civic Leader, Dies

Dallas Morning News
Wednesday, 17 March 1954, Page III-10

Special to The News

FORNEY, Texas- Eugene M. Dozier, 79, long-time Forney merchant and a civic and church leader, died at his home here early Tuesday.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m.  Wednesday in the First Baptist Church in Forney with the Rev. James H. Stanley,  the  Rev. L. B. Jenkins and the Rev. A. T. Mays officiating.  Burial will be in Forney’s Hillcrest Cemetery.

Born at Bellbuckle, Tenn, Oct. 26, 1874, he came to Texas with his parents in a covered wagon in 1889.  The trip to Forney took five weeks and three days.

After farming for ten years, Dozier became a merchant at Markout  near Forney. In 1901, he and Will Fleming opened Forney’s first dry goods store.  He remained a Forney merchant until he retired in 1938.

He was mayor of Forney twice and was a deacon in the Baptict Church here for more than fifty years.  He was superintendent of the First Baptist Church, Sunday school more than twenty years.

He married Miss Dovie Jones Aug. 27, 1902.  The couple celebrated their golden wedding in 1952.

Survivors include his wife; a son, E. F. Dozier of Fort Worth; two daughters, Mrs. R. C. Lee of Henderson and Mrs. Virgil Wilson of McAllen; a brother, Sam Dozier and a sister, Mrs. Lillie Chapman, both of Forney, and five grandsons.