April 24, 1938 – November 15, 2023 Dorsa Lavora Benn was born in Sulphur on April 24, 1938 and sadly passed away November 15, 2023 at the age of 85. Dora was the fourth of eight children born to Roy and Esther Benn (Sulphur).
Dorsa resided in Sulphur until 1953 when she married Charles Leo Chapman. Charles was going off to basic training in Texas and they began their journey together living in various locations in Texas, Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Missouri due to Charles’ employment with Amis Construction Company based out of Oklahoma City. They even turned down an opportunity to move to Australia due to it being so far away from family. Family meant everything and no matter where they lived, holidays and vacations were usually spent in Sulphur. They had two daughters, Dorisa and Cynthia (Cindy). Tragically, Charles passed away at the young age of 41 in 1975.
Dorsa later married J.B. Stidham and they enjoyed many happy years together traveling around with their camper in tow. They resided in Tulsa where J.B. had retired from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Sadly, J.B. passed away in 1992. Dorsa never remarried.
Dorsa loved camping and fishing. Many fun times were had with family around Texoma, Arbuckle Lake, and Platt National Park (now Chickasaw National RecreationArea) and later Lake Eufaula and Grand Lake. She loved being in the country and all the beautiful wild flowers.
Dorsa had a talent for sewing and decorating. She could make anything she thought up with or without a pattern. She loved going to flea markets and estate sales and found many treasures. She saw the value in preserving older items way before it was popular.
Dorsa was preceded in death by both husbands, Charles Chapman and J.B. Stidham; daughter, Dorisa Chapman; two brothers, Gerald Benn and John Benn; two sisters, Pam Moore Barnes and Janet Johnson; two nephews, Lynne Caldwell and Cory Byers; two nieces, Tina Caldwell and Tammy Epperly; and great niece, Mary Lynn Caldwell.
Surviving Dorsa are her daughter, Cindy Livesay and her husband Travis (OKC); grandchildren, Andrew Aubrey (OKC), Ashlee Tayar and husband Ferris (OKC), Charlie Chapman (Tulsa), and Skyler (Eve) Hughes (Colorado Springs). She is also survived by three siblings, Hampie Sue Roberts and her husband Owen (OKC), Royal Benn (Davis), and Debbie Hall and her husband Jerry (Sulphur). She has many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly and would brag about whenever the opportunity arose.
Dorsa was a very strong woman. She had to be to survive losing two husbands and one of her two daughters. She also helped care for her autistic grandson, Charlie, and continued to care for him full-time after Dorisa’s death in 2018.
Dorsa was always donating to local charities and for many years would sponsor a family at Christmas, buying gifts for all their children. She was also very interested in autism research due to experiencing it everyday with Charlie. In lieu of flowers, she would love a donation to the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma or any charity of your choosing.
A memorial service for Dorsa Lavora Stidham will be held at the Hickory Cemetery in Hickory with Brother Thomas Hefley officiating. Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, December 18, 2023 under the direction of DeArman Funeral Home in Sulphur.
