Dolores Brothers Truesdale

Dolores Brothers Truesdale, 89, of Shipman departed this life on Friday, January 9, 2026 at her residence.

She was born on April 25, 1936, a daughter of the late Clarence Ulysses Brothers and Beatrice Penn Brothers.

Dolores Truesdale taught music in the Nelson County Public Schools from 1958 until her retirement in 1991. She was born and raised and went to high school in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, where, she distinguished herself with her singing ability, performing in a regional chorus and the All-State Pennsylvania Chorus. She was also a solo performer in competition at the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. She also auditioned for and won a seat in "Wings Over Jordan," an African-American choral group that performed all over the United States and Europe, but her father refused to allow her to travel with the group. She was only 17 years old and the group included older adults.

Musical ability and teaching ran in her family. She had three great-aunts who taught, one of them a music teacher. Her grandmother was a teacher and wanted her to attend college and teach. Dolores received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia State University and a Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia.

Her first job was teaching a variety of classes, including music, at the Nelson County Training School in Shipman, a segregated high school. She then transferred to Nelson Memorial High School when it opened in 1960 as Nelson's first accredited high school for Black students, teaching music history and literature, music appreciation, voice, piano, general music and two concert choral classes. The concert choral classes participated in all-state competition in at Virginia State University. Six of her students made it to the all-state chorus. Her students achieved first place ratings in district festivals.

In 1968 she was sent to teach in the mornings at Nelson County High School and at Nelson Memorial in the afternoons. After integration was finalized in 1969, she was transferred to Nelson County High School to teach two choral classes and music appreciation and later a keyboard class.

Her Nelson high school students remember her very fondly. Says Joey Davis, a singer and song writer who gained fame for his song "The Bypass" about Hurricane Camille, "It was the only class I made A's and B's in. We looked forward to it. It was a pleasure. We never had to be scolded. When we sang, nobody acted out. I didn't know bass from tenor until those classes." Says Bennie Dodd, who had made a career as a musician, "She introduced us to classical music, composers, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, and symphonies. Jimmy and D.D. Fortune were tenors, so I loved singing bass." Many of her students have excelled as professional music artists and music teachers. Some perform professionally and have showcased their talents on many stages here and abroad, including Grammy winning artist Jimmy Fortune. Other former students learned the music discipline that developed their creativity and discipline that were transferable skills for success.

Dolores Truesdale's Concert Choir performed in national competitions in Georgia, Texas, St. Louis, Missouri, Chicago, Canada, New York and South Carolina. A few of her students earned seats in a concert choir that performed in Europe. She taught all-state winners Harold Bell, Mary Miles, Marvin Oakram, and her son Michael Truesdale. The Truesdales also have a daughter, Sherrise, who has a Ph.D. and now teaches at Minnesota State University, and another son, Curtis Jr., who has an MS in Science from Johns Hopkins University and a Doctorate in the Sciences from the University of Southern California. He is founder/owner of Truesdale Regulatory Consulting LLC, a boutique firm helping healthcare product developers and manufacturers bring innovations to the global market. The elder son, Michael, graduated from United States Customs Academy and earned a MS from Morgan State University. He is with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Community service was always a priority and was a major driver of how she lived her life.

The Truesdales founded an AME Zion Church in 1998 near their home in Shipman. Curtis Sr. was a minister. Mrs. Truesdale ran a music program there. The Truesdales also took in 15 foster children by 1995.

A funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at the Nelson County High School Auditorium, 6919 Thomas Nelson Highway, Lovingston, Virginia 22949.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be private by family.

Arrangements by Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel, Lovingston (434-263-4097).