Merle Katherine Dabney

Merle Katherine Watson Dabney passed peacefully on August 23, 2025. She was 102 years old.

Born May 12, 1923, to Joseph Bartley Watson and Minnie Ola Maxey Watson, she lived in Corrigan, Texas, with her siblings, all preceding her in death. Brother JB Watson and wife Eileen; sister Marie Watson; sister Charlie Faye Watson Strong and husband Rudy; brother William Ronnie Watson and wife Sandra; and sister Alice Watson.

At 17 years of age, Merle graduated from Corrigan High School and set out for San Antonio. There, she passed her Civil Service exam and began working in an aircraft assembly plant during World War II. Eventually, Merle worked for and retired from, the United States Postal Service.

She was extremely proud to have been a long-time member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Among her talents she was an accomplished seamstress, quite the gifted artist, and had a flair for interior home design.

Merle married the love of her life, Leroy Sydney Dabney, on August 29, 1947, and they lived happily until his passing in 2007. Merle and Leroy had two children; daughter Julie Ann Dabney Warner married to Wesley Warner, and son Thomas Jefferson Dabney. Three grandchildren, Elizabeth Anne Burnett Gawlik and her husband Christopher Gawlik, Jason Andrew Burnett and his partner, Gloria Fernandez; and Elijah Rigby Dabney III. Merle was officially made "great" when great-grandson Christopher Dylan Gawlik arrived.

Serving as pallbearers will be Joey Watson, Mark Watson, Lanny Strong, Jason Burnett, Christopher Gawlik, and Dylan Gawlik.

Services will be held 2:00 P.M, Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Evergreen Baptist Church, Hwy 150, Evergreen, Texas, with Pastor Dalton Currie officiating. A reception will follow in the church's Fellowship Hall. Interment at The Hayman Cemetery, FM 2025, Coldspring, Texas.