Doris "Dallas" Irene Wellman Sanders

July 5, 1953 - January 10, 2021

Doris “Dallas” Irene Wellman Sanders, 67, of Crawfordville, died on Jan. 10, 2021. Dallas was born in Rochester, New York on July 5, 1953 to Russel Elmer and Elisabeth Gala Wellman. After graduating from Rush-Henrietta High, she embarked on a great adventure, headed to Florida in her little gold convertible. After exploring Florida and the surrounding area for a time, she met and married her first husband, Bryan Kerwin, and they settled in Wakulla County. In 1974 her only child, Krystal, was born in their small cottage in Sopchoppy. She loved being outdoors, and plants loved her: she could grow anything. She most enjoyed going to the beach to listen to the ocean and feel the sea breeze. She was extremely hard working, driven and stubborn. She also truly enjoyed a good debate. Dallas is best known for her role as a Park Ranger at Wakulla Springs, where she did all the things the boys did: driving boats, working on the grounds and chasing off gators. She also became a certified Horticulturist and Pesticide Operator. She worked at Wakulla Springs for 12 years before leaving to attend Florida State University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Criminology and went on to graduate with honors from FSU Law School. She was a practicing attorney in Crawfordville for 14 years before being diagnosed with early onset dementia. She is survived by her mother, Elisabeth Gala Wellman of Lizella, Ga.; daughter, Krystal Sheppard of Crawfordville; two granddaughters, Cameron and Skylar Sheppard also of Crawfordville; brother, Thomas Wellman of Lizella, Ga. (Wing); niece, Liesel Wellman Nixon of Nashville, Tenn.; nephew, Shawn Wellman of Birmingham, Ala. (Kim); beloved cousins Kendall Wellman of Bradenton, Fla. (Melinda), Dave Wellman of Kenny Lake, Alaska (Gay), and Judith Wellman of Folsom, N.Y.; as well as multiple other cousins. She was predeceased by her father, Russel Elmer Wellman; the love of her life and fiancee, Michael Lynn Diehl; and long time friends Gary Lee McCormick and Nancy Matheny Evans. Dallas has been a resident of Eden Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for the past five years. The family would like to express a special thank you to all the nursing home staff for the kindness, loving care and friendship so freely given during her time with you. A celebration of her life will be held in the spring. Skip & Trey Young with Family Funeral Home at Harvey Young Chapel are assisting the family with their arrangements (850-926-5919 or Familyfhc.com).