Dorothy Calvo
(1927-2008)

Dorothy "D" Rinker Calvo, 81 years of age, of Wharton, died Wednesday April 2, 2008 in Houston's Southwest Memorial Hermann Hospital after a sudden and short illness. She was attended by all of her five children and several of the extended family.

"D", as her closest friends knew her, was born Sept. 8, 1926 in Hamilton, Kan., and lived there until 1944. After two years at Kansas State University in Topeka, Kan., she moved with twin sister Ginny and her older sister Pat, to Galveston. Soon after she married World War II U.S. Marine Russell D. Calvo Sr. on Sept. 8, 1946. She and Russ lived in Galveston from 1946 to 1961. After three years in Bridge City the Calvo family moved to the Newgulf/ Wharton area where Mrs. Calvo lived until her recent death. The Calvos were lifetime members of the Texas Gulf Sulfur "family."

She was preceded in death by her husband, Russ; parents, Dr. George C. and Edna T. Rinker, formerly of Hamilton, Kan.; siblings, Shirley R. Ballotte, formerly of California, Walker Rinker, formerly of Kansas, Betty Glosser, formerly of California, and Patricia R. Droge and Virginia Hamilton, formerly of Galveston.

She is survived by siblings, George C. Rinker, Ph.D., of Spearfish, S.D., Alice R. Cleary of Tulsa, Okla., and Col. Richard Rinker (U.S. Army, Ret.) and wife, El, of San Antonio and brother-in-law John Droge of Galveston; children, Dr. R. David and Dianne Krenek Calvo of Sugar Land, Christopher D. and Linda Calvo of Cypress, Gary R. and Marcella Calvo of Danbury, Caron A. and Candelario Lopez of Richmond and Laura Suzanne and Larry Jones of Lake Jackson; grandchildren, Brandon D. and Alyson Calvo of Richmond, Brian T. Calvo of Austin, C. Dean and Connie Calvo Jr. of San Antonio, Crystal F. Calvo of Abilene, Candace R. Calvo of Cypress, Cynthia L. Calvo of Cypress, Austin D. Calvo of Austin, Dylan R. Calvo of Danbury, Lewis C. Lopez of Richmond and Allyson M. Lopez of Richmond; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Calvo, like her mother, was an educator and, like many of her siblings and her father, she was an intellectual. She received the valedictorian award upon graduation from Hamilton High School at Hamilton, Kan., in 1944 and attended Kansas State University in Topeka in 1944 to 1946 before moving to Texas, marrying, rearing a family of five, later returning to her education in 1967. While at the University of Houston in Houston, she received the B.S.Ed in 1970 graduating magna cum laude, and a M.Ed. degree graduating suma cum laude in 1974. She accomplished this with five children from pre-school through college, driving 150 miles a day for several years with her study-buddy, Marilyn Hershap- Shelton. While at KSU she was elected to the Omicron Nu academic honor society and at U of H she was elected to academic honor societies Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi.

An avid organizer and voice for education and community improvement, she enjoyed her life as an educator in the elementary education division of the Boling Independent School District retiring in 1990 after 22 years of service. Mrs. Calvo was a participant and leader in many organizations in Wharton County and Texas. Her involvement included Wharton Philomathians; Wharton Garden Club, where she was outgoing president; Delta Kappa Gamma serving as parliamentarian, an organization of women educators selected for outstanding contributions in their chosen fields of education; Wharton County Texas Retired Teachers Association and a board member of the Wharton/Matagorda Child Advocacy to name a few. These brought her in touch with many who loved and respected her insight and dedication to excellence. Mrs. Calvo was a member of First United Methodist Church in Wharton. She loved her garden and her pets and was in constant contact with her many friends, children and family, a friend to all and her generosity experienced by many. There was always room at her dinner table for friends.

Memorial services will be conducted by Reverend Ken Goodell, Ret., at Wharton Funeral Home, 515 E Boling Highway, Wharton, TX 77488, on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. Social interaction and refreshments will be hosted by First United Methodist Church, 1717 Pioneer Ave., Wharton TX, afterward.

Memorial donations maybe contributed to any of the many organizations she supported.