Veronica Mulryan left our world and entered another on May 7, 2021.

Most everyone called her Veronica, Aunt Veronica, and Mrs. Mulryan. My brother, sister, and I called her Mom. Dad called her the sweet romantic names that husbands call their wife, especially since their marriage lasted 59 years and 11 months.

Mom was born Veronica Gaye Dodds on December 20, 1942 in Victoria, Texas to the late-Sheriff Ronnie R. Dodds and the late-Sheriff Gladys Dodds, both of Lavaca County. She would later welcome a brother, Ronnie Wayne Dodds, and a sister, Elissa ("Lisa") Dodds. My grandmother told me that when Mom was born, the doctor commented on those deep of dimples.

Mom grew up in Hallettsville, Texas. Her father moved the family to Austin, Texas, where he was a salesman for Lone Star Beer. Mom was introduced to a handsome man in uniform who was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base. They were married June 18, 1961.

Dad and Mom went to Indiana, where Dad completed his reserve duty with the United States Air Force. John Jr. would bless their young marriage the following year. Once the reserves were completed, Mom, Dad, and John moved to Houston, specifically Spring Branch, where they would live for the rest of their married life. I came along in 1966 and Heather was born in 1974.

Mom would put her family first. She was den mother for cub scouts, team mom, motivator, school volunteer, teacher, and whatever came along.  Mom loved "Meet the teacher night" at school. She would volunteer for the various classroom parties. She always made sure she was a part of our education.

I will always remember homework time where she would cook dinner and homework was done at the dining room table. She would give clues to figure out the correct answer.

Mom could do magical things with her hands. She made my high school banner with embroidered names when our band went to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. Oh the inventories she and I did to raise the money. I look back and would not have missed it for anything. Her talents with making floral arrangements and holiday festivities were brilliant. The house always had a wreath you made. Dad's job was to hang it on the front door.

Mom tried to teach me to crochet. I had no coordination. 

Every Sunday, she would cook a roast of some sort with the trimmings. If anyone was hungry after dinner, it was their own fault. One thing Mom did great was cook. Looking back now is the reason I love food so much today.

I would sit on top of the counter and helped stir the cake batter. You taught me to cook and how to make a home. She worked multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Everyday she would have her 30 quiet napping minutes to move into home life after spending all day in the work life.

Sitting on the garage floor and the 4 of us having black fingers from the ink of the Houston Chronicle newspapers we were rolling, I will never forget Dad saying his fingers were so slick from the ink to stuff the advertisements in the Lifesyle section. Out of nowhere, you told him lick his fingers to be able to pick up the fat sections to roll. We would have ink from our heads to our toes, nearly.

One Christmas dad lost his job, due to company changes. That Christmas, we had more presents than any child should have. You made sure Christmas was special that year. Years later, I learned the truth behind that year and was surprised by the sacrifices made that year. Our tree was loaded underneath.

Mom worked at the school district where we went to school. She taught driver education, worked in the library at the high school, and drove a school bus.

She was a phlebotomist and X-ray tech who was taught by Dr. Howard and Dr. Guy Purnell. She did this with ease and the patients loved how she always did a pain free stick. She worked for the Purnell's for many years.

Veronica Gaye Dodds was born December 20, 1942 in Victoria, Texas. She married Dad on June 18, 1961. Her earth body became angelic May 7, 2021.

Mom is survived by her husband, John A. "Tony" Mulryan, Sr. of 59 years and 11 months, her children, John, Jr. and wife Dale Mulryan of Anahuac, Tracy and husband Michael Quigley of Richmond, and Heather Mulryan of Houston.

She has 6 grandchildren, Mary Womack (fiance Chris) of Hickory Creek, Cully Mulryan (wife Lindsay) of Baytown, Casey Veen (husband Ben) of Anahuac, Rebecca Womack of Houston, Stacy Jennings of Houston, and Connor Jennings of Huntsville.

Mom is also survived by her brother Ronnie Wayne Dodds and his wife Joyce of Houston and sister Elissa ("Lisa") Rothbauer and her husband David of Gonzalez.

She is proceeded in death by her parents Sheriff Ronnie Ray Dodds and Sheriff Gladys Dodds-Koehn of Lavaca County.