Emmett O’Neal Dubberly passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at home in Louisville, Colorado, at the age of 79, after fighting a courageous battle against cancer.
O’Neal was born November 25, 1941, in Houston, Texas, to Reverend Emmett Orinza Dubberly and Mary Rebekah (Lane) Dubberly. The family moved from Houston to Nacogdoches, Texas, in 1955, and O’Neal graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 1960. He received his bachelor’s degree in in business administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, in 1964.
O’Neal met Mary Olga “Ster” Tajan through mutual friends, and they married on July 31, 1965, in her hometown of Houston, Texas. After working in the banking industry in Dallas, he became a Certified Public Accountant in 1968. He and Ster moved to Nacogdoches in 1968, and O’Neal worked in public accounting at Alexander & Rogers, where he became a partner in 1973. In 1982, he accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer at East Texas Electric Cooperative and remained there until retiring in 2006. Ster and O’Neal moved to Colorado in 2009 to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
While O’Neal was selective with his words and quiet by nature, he also had a sharp, quick wit and was known for his ability to make those around him laugh. He and Ster loved to travel and took many trips throughout their 56 years of marriage. He used his financial acumen to serve others and volunteered as the treasurer for various organizations throughout his life, most recently St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Boulder, Colorado. From running throughout his earlier years to hiking in his latter ones, he always enjoyed an active lifestyle. He had a lifelong passion for reading, was considered something of a savant at trivia, played poker regularly with friends, and could always be counted on to engage in lively political discussions. His wife, family, and friends will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Emmett and Rebekah Dubberly. He is survived by his wife Mary “Ster” Dubberly; son Aaron O’Neal Dubberly, daughter-in-law, Lee Ann (Schrantz) Dubberly, and granddaughters Becca Ann Dubberly and Reese Arinn Dubberly of Omaha, Nebraska; daughter Mary Cristine (Dubberly) Dubé, son-in-law Pierre Dubé, and grandson Luke O’Neal Dubé of Monterey, California; sisters Marilyn (Dubberly) Rhinehart of Georgetown, Texas, and Carol (Dubberly) Offield of Woodstock, Georgia; sister-in-law Peggy (Tajan) Green and brother-in-law Danny Green of Port Isabel, Texas; brother-in-law Joe Tajan of Sand Point, Idaho; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service and celebration of life will be held on a yet-to-be-determined future date.
O’Neal requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 3700 Baseline Road, Boulder, Colorado, 80027. (https://www.standrewboulder.org)