Doretta Honour

August 2, 1954 - October 15, 2024

Born in South Gate, California, and Died in Copperas Cove, Texas.

Doretta was adopted at birth by Leon and Ruth (Rosenbaum) Becker. Her adoptive mother was better known as the actress Wendy (Wendie) Lee who had bit parts in some movies, including a speaking role as Francesca in “I Shot Billy the Kid” Doretta had an adoptive brother, Graham, and adoptive sister, Beth. 

It appears she had a charmed childhood. Her artistic talents became known early on as her father sent her to The Leys School in Cambridge (before her senior year of high school) and the Banff School of Fine Arts in BC Canada after graduating from Beverly Hills High School in LA in 1972. 

She attended Santa Monica City College, De Anza College in Cupertino, and Northridge University (Cal State?) where she majored in art, and later in 1995 obtaining a degree as a computer accounting assistant.

Doretta married Carl Honour in 1983 (she was 28) and had two daughters with him, Shaundra Nadine (1984) and Nichelle Lee (1986). She and Carl eventually divorced, and she and the girls continued to live in the Southern California area.

Her father had a memorabilia restoration business where he creatively framed original documents. Doretta worked for him for 11 years and became the senior designer and general manager at Memorabilia LTD in La Costa, California until his death in 1989. 

She continued to run a portrait and picture framing business out of her home for the next few years and became a teacher’s aide working in the Encinitas School District and San Marcos Unified School District where her daughters were attending classes. Her artistic skills were called into service to paint murals for Alvin Dunn Elementary, including their school mascot, (dragon) and other images in the school. (Unfortunately, the school was razed in 2018 to make room for a new school.) While she was a teacher’s aide, she also drew portraits of her students to present to their families.

Doretta’s adoptive family was Jewish, but she understood her birth mother (Doris Fern Blake Black) to be Catholic, and she had a strong urge to be Catholic herself. Once she moved in 2019 into her house in Copperas Cove (which was just a few blocks from Holy Family) she made a point to start attending Masses. She joined RCIA classes in 2022. 

April 8, 2023, was a joyous day for her as she received Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation! Bonnie Fitzpatrick was her sponsor and stayed as her godmother to the end.

Doretta was very intuitive and was known to have healing hands. If she noticed something going on with a person she would often offer to place her hands on them, remembering to invoke the Holy Spirit.

She was diagnosed with mild dementia in November (which proved later to be a blessing), and then Chordoma Cancer (Chordoma is a rare type of bone cancer that happens most often in the bones of the spine or the skull) in mid-December 2023. She decided to opt out of surgery and live her life as natural as possible to the end. She was moved to Hill Country Heights Nursing Facility for rehab at the end of December but was never able to return home as the anticipated paralysis came on quickly. She maintained her gentleness and kindness as well as possible throughout the months as a resident, always trying to appreciate the care given to her. Gentiva Hospice managed her pain levels in their commitment to provide palliative care for her along the way. We are grateful to both organizations for their loving assistance.

Doretta leaves behind her daughter, Niki, grandchildren Caleb, Noah, Christopher, Abby, her sister, Beth (Harlan Weller), and special friends.

We will miss our dear friend and ask that she helps pray us into heaven!