Dewey Lee Orms

Dewey Orms, 88 of Dallas entered into rest on November 4, 2022, in Dallas, Texas.  Services will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at Jones Funeral Services Chapel with Chaplain Mark Davenport officiating.  Interment will follow at Mexia Cemetery.  Serving as pallbearers are Buddy Redden, Gage Ross, Clayton Orms, Russ Ross, Danny Gaddis and Charles Ray Henry.  Honorary pallbearers are Clyde Windom, Pat Windom, Dale Spivey, Mac Irwin, David Bell, Steve Craig, Don Gamble and Rod Patrick. 

Dewey’s first love was his Family, Friends and then Rodeo and Golf.  At a young age Dewey loved his Rodeo career as a Bareback Rider and a Bull Rider while having several interesting jobs. Gas Station Owner, Electrician Apprentice and worked with Dow Chemical in the Oil field. 

He lost his job with Dow when his boss found out he was leaving after his shift to compete in Rodeos. His boss told him he would have to do one or the other.  Dewey told him he had to go to Stamford that evening because he had made the finals. So that was that. He was known all over north Texas for his bareback riding. His signature:  long legs a flying and tongue hanging out which he almost bit completely off while riding a bull. 

His next job would set him up for an extensive career in the Western Clothing Business. In 1956 he began working at The Cow Lot in Wichita Falls, Tx learning the art of fitting boots and shaping hats. That’s where he honed his skills in customer service. Each customer got his full and undivided attention and left feeling special with the perfect fit. As the saying went, “You can tell by looking it come from the Cow lot.” He made sure of it. 

The Cow Lot is also where he picked up his love for the game of Golf. The store manager, Gene O’Brien, loved the game and cowboy boots. So much so that he had golf spikes put on his boots. Dewey had a pair too. He taught Dewey the basics. The next 60 years were spent perfecting his grip, keeping his head down, his elbow in, his butt still, his left arm straight, slowing down his swing, watching golf and telling golf jokes. His sons Clint and Victor took him to the Masters a few years back.  It was a bucket-list highlight of his life. 

In 1963 Dewey was offered a job as a road rep for Moore Bulldogger Hat Company. Along with Moore he measured custom suits for Gross Suit Co, helped launch Colt boots and even started a belt buckle line with his old friend Buck Brumley.  He finally landed the job that would take him through the majority of his western sales career: Handler Fenton Western Apparel. Owned by Sonny Handler, Dewey and Jack Resch. Dewey designed the seasonal lines and built the sales side turning the company into a first-rate manufacturer & supplier to western stores all over the US.  Dewey’s eye for design came from his mother, a master seamstress.  

Unfortunately, due to an array of circumstances, each of those companies fell away. But that didn’t keep him out of the industry. Dewey has been a “Designated Hitter’ at special events as a hat shaper for major players like Sam’s Town Western Store, National Roping Supply, David’s Western Wear and Resistol.  Last year at 87 he was still putting his skills and charm to work shaping hats with his son Glenn, daughter-in-law Karen and grandson Parker at The Cow Lot NFR booth at South Point. This will be the first year in almost 50 years he’ll miss shaping hats at the NFR. 

In the 80’s Dewey found his second career.  The last 30 years of his life he put his carpentry and handyman skills to work. It worked well with his wife, Lyndah’s, real estate sales. She sold them. He fixed them up.  He built entire show rooms at the merchandise mart, built fences, remodeled, rewired, crawled through attics at 110 degrees. The challenge of figuring out a solution to a problem was deep in his DNA. It was winning the game, beating the odds and creating a masterpiece for Y O U that he loved the most. Even if it was just changing the washer in a sink faucet.  

You can see some of his handy work at his 3rd son, Victor’s restaurant, where he loved to eat.  The same customer service he learned early on lasted his entire life.  He would answer a 3:00 am call to fix a broken pipe or climb on a roof to patch a leak. It was not uncommon for Dewey to work 24 hours straight to make sure his customers were taken care of. His work ethic and willingness to give you his undivided attention created loyal customers and friendships for life. Dewey was a Cowboy, an Artist and Craftsman. His absence will be felt by many as he continues to inspire us all.

The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Orms’ name be made to the SPCA of Texas.

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