Dorothy (Dottie) Irene Baggett passed from this life on June 15, 2026 in Temple, TX.
Dottie was born on October 31, 1947, to Lieutenant Colonel Cecil P.
Cloughly and Mary Lee (Williams) Cloughly in Waycross, Georgia, near her mother’s family home. As the daughter of an Air Force officer, she spent her early childhood in Guam; Okinawa, Japan; and Montgomery, Alabama, before her family settled in Sherman, Texas, when she was in the fourth grade.
After graduating with the Sherman High School Class of 1965, Dottie earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Texas at Austin. During her 14-year marriage to Herbert D. Yates, she welcomed her two sons, Jon and Austin.
For more than 30 years, Dottie and her late husband, The Reverend Ed Baggett, served Episcopal parishes as priest and partner. Ed pastored, often accompanying his message with guitar music, while Dottie sang, taught, and ministered through pastoral care. She sang in church choirs for 61 years. Her Missouri family especially remembers her singing “The Irish Blessing” at the close of her aunt’s winter burial service, her voice rising tenderly over the quiet cemetery.
Teaching was one of Dottie’s greatest joys. During her 23-year career, she inspired students with her creativity, compassion, and love of Texas history. She excelled at helping students overcome learning challenges and was honored as Teacher of the Year three times.
Dottie approached life with enthusiasm and curiosity. She and Ed enjoyed traveling together, exploring the history of each place they visited. Her collection of postcards, filled with loving notes, reflects those adventures. She cherished annual visits with cousins in Missouri, treasured time with her grandchildren, and welcomed each new parish assignment as another chapter in life.
Dottie will be remembered for the mischievous twinkle in her eye, her gift for friendship, and the wholehearted way she approached everything she did. She took great pride in her family heritage and devoted many hours to genealogy and ancestry research. Her laughter was contagious, and her love of a good joke came naturally from her father.
Her passions included singing, reading, coloring, crossword puzzles, family history, and the companionship of dogs and cats. She loved old family quilts, cheered faithfully for the Texas Longhorns, and was known for her Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole and macaroni and cheese. Her faith and devotion to the Episcopal Church remained steadfast throughout her life.
Those left to cherish Dottie’s memory are her sons, Jon (Shelly) and Austin (Teri); her grandchildren, Allison, Amanda, Justin, and Emily Yates; her sister, Dr. Cecilia Cloughly (Frank); and the family of her late sister, Clara Doerr (the late Ronnie). She is also survived by sister-in-law Jessica McComb (the late Jack), brother-in-law Steve (Dora) Baggett, her Missouri cousins Donna Kasten (Gary) and Dr. Forrest Dierberg, and her Georgia cousins Tom Williams, Judy Streets, and Ruth Casterline. She was preceded in death by cousins Diana Dierberg and others she loved dearly. Dottie was blessed with many teaching and church friends, including Sharon and Eunan Breen and Susan and Bob Crone. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, sister, cousin, and friend.
While Dottie leaves a deep hole in the lives of family and friends, memories of her cheerfulness, laughter, playfulness, and unwavering faith will bring comfort in the days ahead.
Dottie’s Memorial Service will be held at Calvary Episcopal Church in Bastrop, Texas on August 15th at 11am. Services entrusted to Elgin Funeral Home, 712 N Ave C, Elgin, TX.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Dottie’s name may be made to Calvary Episcopal Church, 603 Spring St, Bastrop, TX 78602, 512-255-5436, https://cecbastrop.org, or Saint Richard’s Episcopal Church, 1420 E. Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78664, 512-255-5436, https://saintrichards.org, or Scouting America Capitol Area Council, 12500 N IH 35, Austin, TX 78753, 512-926-6363, https:// www.capitolareascouting.org.