Doris Laverne (Garner) Sullivan was born on December 23, 1924 to T. Hubert and Melvetia K. (Barker) Garner in Quanah.  She passed away on May 5, 2017.

While at Quanah High School, she was the winner of the All School District Piano Contest, the Music Club President for 3 years, and helped start the Piano Festival at QHS.  Upon completing high school, Doris went to Texas Women's University, in Denton, where she majored in music.  She loved classical music and studied piano at an early age.  While at TWU, she became an accomplished pianist and played in many venues and competitions.  One professor wanted her to go on tour, but something more important came along . . . a marriage proposal from Rex. E. Sullivan Jr., home from the war.

Doris married Rex in the Fall of 1945.  He then entered the University of Texas Law School at Austin, and Doris taught piano lessons.  Upon his graduation, the two returned home to Quanah, for him to begin his law practice, and Doris to set up housekeeping.  Later on, she became the mother of three, and was kept very busy taking care of her children and meeting their needs.

After Rex died, in 1974, Doris went to work at the Head Start Program, where she imparted her love of music to her students.  They learned about rhythm and how to do things in time.  She loved watching their progress.  Along the way, she still found time to play the piano and teach private lessons.

After retirement, Doris filled her hours with reading, listening to classical music, and watching old movies.  Visits from her grandchildren and great-grandchildren gave her life a spark.  With her health declining, those visits became even more precious.  She loved the sidewalk chalk art that they did for her and especially the "I love you, Nana."

Doris was a longtime member of the Church of Christ.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and a son, Rex E. Sullivan, III.  She is survived by a son, Kirk (Carol) Sullivan, of Burleson; a daughter, Katherine Sullivan, of Brooklyn, NY; a daughter-in-law, Nanette Sullivan, of New Braunfels; and a brother, Thomas (Ouida) Garner, of Arlington; three grandchildren, Ryan (Tyler) Sullivan, Sarah (Joe) Hernandez, and Corley (Eric) Latham.  Her great-grandchildren include Hudson and Emory Sullivan; Brayden and Austin Hernandez; and Braelynn and Harper Latham.

Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m., Monday, May 8th, graveside at Quanah Memorial Park.  Interment will follow under direction of Smith Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Church of Christ in Quanah; Quanah Senior Citizen's Center; Thompson-Sawyer Library; or the Quanah Historical Museum.