Vivian Dobbs

Vivian Dobbs October 27, 1921 - December 14, 2013 Vivian Lynn Dobbs of Waco passed away Saturday, December 14, 2013, at Sterling House Assisted Living in Temple, Texas. At her request, there will be no service. Private burial will be held at her family cemetery in Houston. Vivian was born October 27, 1921, in Dayton, Texas, to James and Vivian Johnson Dobbs. She graduated from Livingston High School and attended Sam Houston State before enrolling at Texas Woman's University formerly TSTW, earning a B.A. degree. At the beginning of WWII, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving 29 months. After her military service, she enrolled in Emory University, where she earned an MLS in Library Science. Following employment as a documents librarian at Texas Tech University, she was hired for a civil service position supervising libraries at different military installations, including Okinawa, Germany, and France. In this capacity, she supervised the setting up of libraries and closing them when installations were phased out. While in Germany, she frequently rode the Orient Express to supervise one library and traveled by car to the others. In the mid-50s, she worked as librarian at Army and Air Force installations in Korea. After the Korean Conflict, she served as a Special Services librarian in various military installations in Louisiana and Texas. In 1967, she returned to Emory University and received a medical library certificate. She then worked at Brooke Army Medical Center at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, until her retirement in 1980, when she moved to Waco. In retirement, she generously donated her time and skills to the Waco-McLennan County Library as a volunteer in the Technical Services Department. She was honored for accumulating 7500 hours of volunteer service at the library. She continued to travel in retirement, visiting foreign countries with friends, including Rome, Cairo, Jerusalem, and other European sites, often traveling with Elderhostel. Upon moving to The Village at Providence Park, she again used her skills to organize the library for residents. Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, James Lafayette Dobbs and Vivian Johnson Dobbs; and sister, Jimmye Dobbs Hays. She is survived by her nephew, Mark James Hays and his wife, Victoria, as well as numerous cousins. Those wishing to make memorials, may donate to Waco-McLennan County Library, 1717 Austin Avenue, Waco TX 76710, or to Fuzzy Friends Rescue, 6321 Airport Dr., Waco TX 76708. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.