DOROTHY MAE "DOT" FERRIS SMITH BOLLEN, 85, of
Jensen Beach, FL passed away on May 9, 2009 after a long
illness, with burial at Forest Hills Memorial Park.
Mrs. Bollen, the widow of Martin County pioneer family member
Donovan Smith, Jr. was 85. Dorothy was born on Nov. 25,
1923, and was the second of four children born to Sally
Virginia (Winn) and James Bennett Ferris in Ranger, Texas.
A proud Texan and an outstanding student, Dorothy was
salutatorian of the Ranger High School Class of 1941. She
attended the Ranger High School Class of 1941 reunion every
year and remained “most popular girl” throughout her life.
An elegant, intelligent, sophisticated young woman, Dorothy’s
love of fashion and style led her to Ranger Community College,
where she studied to be a beautician. She earned an Associate
of Science degree, but an allergy to the chemicals used in
hairdressing caused a change of plans and she focused her
attention on business administration. Upon the death of her
father in 1944, Dorothy left Texas and relocated to California
with her mother and sister Mary. While attending a USO dance
soon after moving to California, both Dorothy and Mary met
their future husbands, handsome Navy sailors and best friends,
on the same night. In 1945, Dorothy married her sailor, Donovan
Smith Jr. of Port Salerno, FL. Within a year, she and Donovan
headed for Martin County, FL in a 1941 Ford that Donovan had
purchased with his muster-out pay. After a harrowing three-week
journey, the couple settled in Port Salerno.
Dorothy loved to dance and the couple frequented Seymour’s Inn,
on the Indian River in Jensen Beach, which reportedly had the
largest hardwood dance floor in Martin County at that time. The
couple also loved outdoor life and frequently camped with friends
and family on the beach near the old “Rand’s Pier”, located at
the present-day Sailfish Point property and at “Fisheating Creek,”
a remote, wilderness location in Highlands County. Dorothy was
the most proper of all Texas ladies, but quickly learned to field
dress and cook game over an open fire. One of her camp specialties
was “Swamp Cabbage Stew” but at family get-togethers, her dumpling-
like noodles and “pie crust sticks” were the first to go. Motherhood
came first to Dorothy in 1957, with the arrival of their daughter,
Donna Marie. Dorothy was an accomplished seamstress and lovingly
sewed baby clothes for Donna while expecting. When Donna arrived,
weighing less than 5 pounds, Dorothy brought her home from the
hospital dressed as Raggedy Ann, because Raggedy Ann’s dress was
the only one that fit. Never discouraged, Dorothy quickly sewed
outfits made from doll clothes patterns until her new daughter
fit into her own clothes.
A much anticipated second daughter, Druann, arrived in 1963. Unlike
the first, this daughter had thick, beautiful auburn curls that
Dorothy loved to style. Both girls were her pride and joy and she
loved being their mom.
Soon after Druann’s birth, Dorothy began working at the Martin
County Courthouse in the Tax Assessor’s office, where she learned
to operate the office’s first computer system. By the time of her
retirement, Dorothy was the data entry supervisor and oversaw the
creation and maintenance of data that determined Martin County’s
property tax base. In addition to her duties at the Tax Assessor’s
Office, Dorothy maintained the courthouse vending machines, placed
by the Lion’s Club.
When her beloved granddaughter, Jessi Marie, was born in 1982,
Dorothy was ready to become a “stay-at-home granny” and did so in
1984 when she retired. Upon retirement, Dorothy and Donovan traveled
the USA, visiting friends and family from Tallahassee to Texas to
California. The couple often camped and hiked in National Parks and
wilderness areas. Dorothy was just as comfortable sleeping in the
bed of a pickup truck as she was sleeping in the bed of a five-star
resort - and always recognized (and appreciated) the advantages of
each. Dorothy's husband Donovan passed away in February, 1990.
Dorothy's sister Mary (RHS-1942) passed away in California in 1991,
leaving that other handsome sailor, Gene from the USO dance all
alone. On New Years Eve, 1991, Dorothy married Mr. Gene Bollen,
her sister Mary’s widower, thus becoming a newlywed for the second
time.
Fortunately, Mr. Bollen loved to travel as much as Dorothy and the
couple eventually visited every world continent, including Antarctica.
Their adventures took them sailing down the Amazon through virgin
rainforests; to the Opera House in Sydney; to mountain tops in the
Peruvian Andes; to elegant dinners atop the Eiffel Tower; to the
great wall of China; to cruises through the Panama Canal – and all
points in-between. When not traveling the world, Dorothy and Gene
enjoyed gardening and grew pineapples, papaya and other fruit at
their home. Dorothy was especially proud of her year-round poinsettias
and amaryllises.
At the time of her death, Dorothy was survived by her loving husband,
Mr. Gene Bollen, of Jensen Beach, FL; daughters Donna Marie Smith,
of Orlando, FL and Druann Carter, of Stuart, FL; stepdaughter
Linda Giles and stepson Michael Bollen, both of of El Monte, CA;
granddaughter Jessi Marie Smith, of Stuart, FL.; granddaughters Kelli
and Shannon Giles; great-granddaughters Mariah Giles and Alexis Giles;
her sister Ella Joy Ferris Brewer (RHS-1944), of Napa, CA ; her nephews
Richard and Robert Brewer; her nephew Randy Ferris; her niece JoAnne
Wheadon, as well as many grieving friends and extended family.
She was predeceased by her parents; her first husband, Donovan Smith
Jr.; her brother James F. Ferris (RHS-1939), & her sister Mary Bollen
(RHS-1942).