Joan Dolce

Joan Dell Dolce, 70, of Kerrville, Texas, passed away on September 9, 2014 in San Antonio Texas. She was born in San Antonio Texas to Mr. JD Weaver and Mrs. Clyde Wiggins Weaver on April 20, 1944.\r\n\r\nShe grew up in Kerrville, Texas and graduated from Tivy High School in 1962. After High school she attended Southern Methodist University and became a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. During her freshman year, she contracted mono and went to class from the infirmary. As that was not much fun, she transferred to the University of Texas at Austin. She minored in Latin American Studies; took summer classes at University of the Americas in Mexico City and became fluent in Spanish. She graduated UT with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1966 and obtained her teaching certificate. She then moved to Amarillo, Texas, and lived with her cousins so she could teach at Amarillo High School. Joan Dell taught History and Government to Juniors and Seniors for two semesters. She was not satisfied earning only three hundred dollars per month, so she decided to go back to school.\r\n\r\nMiss Joan Dell Weaver was accepted to and attended St. Mary's Law School in San Antonio, where she was one of only two women. She earned the top grade in many of her classes. She was a member of the Kappa Beta Pi legal sorority and graduated with her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1970 and was admitted to the Bar in 1971. Shortly after law school she and the late Noel J. Dolce married in January of 1971. During this time, most lady lawyers had to practice family law, and spent most of their time at the court house. Joan Dell disliked this practice and chose to continue her education to obtain a post doctorate degree called a "Master of Legal Letters" which she obtained from the University of Texas at Austin in 1983. The prestigious Austin based law firm Graves, Dougherty, Hearon, and Moody offered Joan Dell a position as an Estate Planner where she thrived in law and was equally included as a "woman in a man's world".\r\n\r\nJoan Dell wanted to be closer to their family farms in the Panhandle so they moved to Amarillo to practice with the firm of Templeton and Garner. After a while there, Joan Dell and her son, Brack, moved to Kerrville, Texas to recuperate from back surgery with the help of her Mom, Clyde. Joan Dell and Brack planted roots in Kerrville. In 1989 she was certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the field of Estate Planning and Probate Law. Joan Dell thrived in this field and became widely known for her strength and knowledge in that arena. She was known as an "attorney's attorney". She practiced law for almost 45 years before her death and donated countless hours of pro bono work to those who most needed help.\r\n\r\nOutside of Law she enjoyed her family's business of farming and ranching in the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. She loved all animals but most of all Horses and Dogs. She frequently said "I learned to ride a horse before I could walk." Joan Dell was very active in the Jr. League in Austin, Amarillo, and helped facilitate the inception of the Jr. Service Guild in Kerrville, Tx. Joan Dell had also been an actively involved member of Rotary, the Women's Investment Network, the Women of St. Peter's Church, and was on the Board of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.\r\n\r\nMs. Dolce is preceded in death by her grandparents, Brack J. Wiggins and Martha Addeen Wiggins, her Mother Clyde Wiggins Weaver.\r\n\r\nJoan Dell is survived by her son, Braxton Dolce of Kerrville, Texas, along with her horses and dogs. She is also survived by her Sister, Jan Busby of Ashville, North Carolina, and her nephew, the Honorable Brett Busby of Houston, Tx.\r\n\r\nVisitation will be 5-7pm September 16, 2014 at Grimes Funeral Chapels, Kerrville, Texas.\r\n\r\nFuneral services will be held 1:30pm, September 17,2014 at St. Peters Episcopal Church, Kerrville, Texas, to be officiated by Father Tom Murray III and the Reverend Stockton Williams. Interment will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery.\r\n\r\nPallbearers will be Will O' Donnell, Travis Reno, Louque Currie, Justin Carpenter, John Leidy, Lee Vanacker, Jonathan Ware, and Jason P. Davis.\r\nThose wishing to give Memorials in honor of Joan Dell Dolce may donate to the American Diabetes Association at diabetes.org.\r\n\r\nThe family of Joan Dell wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Sandra Garred, Dr. Anand Mehendale, Dr. Michael Naismith DPT, Sara Pickle, Executive Director of Sterling House in Kerrville, Ms. Shea Benedick and Gentiva Hospice, along with the Father Tom Murray III and the Reverend Stockton Williams of St. Peter's Episcopal Church Kerrville.\r\n\r\n[contact-form-7 id="73" title="Send Condolences"]