Dortha Lee Hart (Plainview)

Dortha Lee Hart (1931-2026)

At ninety-five, Dortha, known to most as simply Dot and to some real special loved ones as Nanny, slipped peacefully from this world into the presence of Jesus on October 20, 2026 from complications of a stroke. She was born in Seminole, Oklahoma the fifth of nine children to the Ritchie clan February 25, 1931 at a moment when the economy had turned to a pool of glue from the onset of the Great Depression. The Ritchie family lived a nomadic life chasing oil field jobs throughout the 30s and 40s across Illinois, Oklahoma, and West Texas quartering most often in company-provided barracks.

Rather than finishing high school, Dot enrolled in a beauty school where she learned to cut and style hair, a profession she pursued for several years. She was also a master seamstress, as skilled, quick, and flawless as any south paw ever was. In the 70s, she was Children’s Director for the New Mexico Baptist Convention. In the 80s, she would own an upscale dress shop in El Paso..

In 1949, she married B.J. Hart, who had a four-decade career as a safety and environmental specialist with Chevron Pipeline Company. In the early 50s, in rapid succession, the couple had three daughters (Debra, Marcia, and Sherri). With similar hairdos and dresses, the girls were often paraded as triplets in matching garments stitched by Dot’s hands. To her eternal delight, she was the Queen Bee at each daughter’s church wedding, a dream she never knew for herself. All three, intricate, elaborate wedding dresses, she made by hand, not to mention every bridesmaid’s dress as well.

Dortha and B.J. had an uncommon devotion to their local Baptist church. She told B.J. before the marriage, “I’m not interested in movies, dancing, going out to eat, or partying but I do expect you to take me to church.” As a result, their dearest friends and associations across seven decades have been among Baptist folks in Snyder, Midland, Weatherford, El Paso, and Albuquerque. Further, the pair has also been generous benefactors to Baptist institutions, including: Baylor University, Truett Seminary, Dallas Baptist University, and the International Mission Board of the SBC.

The duo had a special devotion to Church Builders, a program of the Texas Baptist Men; in which they devoted a portion of each summer to construct churches. B.J. organized the materials, permits, architects, carpenters, and special equipment; Dot ran the kitchen sometimes feeding as many as 70 folks for a week in remote parts of the country. All told, they had a hand in the construction of some thirty sanctuaries.

Nanny will be sorely missed by her survivors: three daughters Debra Albrect and Marcia Hart of Venus, TX and Sherri Neff (Jimmy) of Plainview, TX; four grandchildren: Jerod Neff of Bryan, TX, Lester Easley of Moscow, ID, Sabrina Neff of Pearland, TX, and Ashley Burchett of Seattle, WA; and nine great-grandchildren.

The family would like express their heartfelt appreciation to the staff of the Sandhills Assisted Living Center in Olton, TX and suggest that any memorial gifts be sent to First Baptist Church, 600 Avenue M, Olton, TX 79064.

No public memorial service is scheduled. Internment for family only will be at Dallas Ft. Worth National Cemetery at a date to be determined.