Tireless Volunteer and Church Pioneer Dies at 94 Jeanne Ditzler Dodds, a tireless community volunteer and church pioneer, was born at her parents' home in Selinsgrove, PA, on August 5, 1918, and died in the Presbyterian Village North retirement complex in Dallas on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at the age of 94. Jeanne and her husband of 66 years, Alan Dodds, who predeceased her on March 25, 2006, met at Carnegie Tech - now Carnegie Mellon University - in Pittsburgh, PA, married in Selinsgrove in 1940 and moved to Dallas in 1945 - first owning a home in Oak Cliff and then, in 1949, moving to Preston Hollow. They joined the now robust Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in 1949 as some of its first members, and during the 60-plus years of her membership, Jeanne served her church community in many capacities. She was that church's first woman Deacon, named to that position in the mid-1960's. She also served as an Elder for PHPC - the third woman in that church to hold the position. She was a strong advocate for women's place in the pulpit for all churches. For years, she was a dedicated scout leader for the Cub Scouts, Brownies, and the Girl Scouts, and she enjoyed her years as a member of the Greenway Garden Club. Celebrated in 2011 by the Dallas League of Women Voters as a 50-year member, Jeanne was well informed in all things political. She worked to register voters, even in her final years, using her walker to get her where she needed to go to get that job done. She loved Texas wildflowers, was a voracious reader, a loyal supporter of the arts in Dallas, and a fine amateur pianist. Jeanne grew up in Selinsgrove, PA, and remembered seeing Amish horses and buggies in the street, and fish merchants and farmers selling vegetables from their pushcarts. She also remembered when the Great Depression closed the local children's shoe factory, The Yeager Shoe Company, which her family owned and operated in Selinsgrove, drastically changing their lives and the lives of all of the company's employees. But Jeanne was able to attend college on a scholarship after graduating from Selinsgrove High School in 1936, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and Valedictorian. At Carnegie Tech, she was a member of Cwens and of Mortarboard (both, honor societies), was VP of the Dorm Council, and was a member of a social sorority, which later became Delta Gamma. She graduated from Carnegie Tech in 1940 with a BS in Household Economics Jeanne was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Alan Dodds, by her mother and father, Daniel and Bess Ditzler of Selinsgrove, PA, by her sister, Marjorie Shafer of Havre de Grace, MD, and by her brother, Richard Ditzler of Selinsgrove, PA. She is survived by her daughters, Patricia McGuire (Michael) of Portola Valley, CA and Ann Costello (Richard) of Beverly Hills, CA, her son, Thomas Dodds, of Dallas, TX, and her two grandsons, Brian Costello of Los Angeles, CA and Gregory Costello (Anna) of New York City. A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held on August 3 at 11 a.m. at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 9800 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jeanne and Alan Dodds Memorial Scholarship fund c/o the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 9800 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 752230. Final arrangements handled by Eastgate Funeral Company, Garland, TX.