Della Harkey Dunn Wiesen

Della Harkey Dunn Wiesen, 94, of Amarillo died April 8, 2019.

Visitation will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m., Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Polk Street United Methodist Church, 1401 S. Polk St. Funeral services will follow at 1:30 p.m., at the church. Private entombment will be held at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home.

Della was born the oldest of seven children on August 23, 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Leonard and Vernon Harkey. She received her higher education at Birmingham Business College. Della married her first husband, Palmer Dunn in Tuscaloosa and together they had one daughter, Pamela Gayle. Due to Mr. Dunn’s health problems, they moved to the drier climate of the Texas Panhandle arriving in Amarillo in 1956.

Della’s real estate career took off shortly after arriving in Amarillo. She attained her Brokerage License in 1957. However, due to being a woman in business, she had to go before the Judge for the removal of “Disability of Coverture” before receiving her license. She worked as a broker for more than 30 years. She built her office at 1614 S. Washington, where she opened Della Dunn Gallery of Homes, Inc. Della worked tirelessly in her own business, while enthusiastically serving in various offices at the local, state, and national level for Realtor Associations. In 1972, she was honored as the Amarillo Board Realtor of the Year. In 1972, Della married Charles Wiesen, and for many years they commuted from Amarillo to Beaumont and Port Arthur where Mr. Wiesen had a real estate business as well as other enterprises. They loved traveling together and visited many places around the world. In 1974, Della was President of the Texas Chapter of Women’s Council. In 1975, she was Texas Women’s Council of Realtors Woman of the Year. Twice she received the Omega Tau Rho Award from the National Association of Realtors.

Della was a member of Polk Street United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and also served on many civic organizations including Amarillo Executive Women, BBB, Amarillo Credit Association Board, Amarillo Museum of Art, PEO Chapter CM (for more than 50 years), and was a lifetime member of The Amarillo College Foundation. In 1980, she received the Career Achievement Award from AWN.

She is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Iterria Harkey Lee; brother, Doyle Harkey; her first husband, H. Palmer Dunn; and her second husband, Charles M. Wiesen.

Della is survived by daughter Pamela Dunn Weems and husband Russell of Roswell, NM; grandchildren, Ryan Weems and wife Sara of Fort Worth, TX and Lauren Weems Perry and husband Chase of Dallas, TX; Great-grandchildren, Ava Weems, Olivia Weems, Emma Perry and Elyse Perry; brothers, Douglas Harkey and wife Verna Lynn of Tuscaloosa, AL and Derwood Harkey of Tuscaloosa, AL; sisters, Joyce Farmer and Jane Rogers both of Tuscaloosa, AL; step-children, Linda Wiesen Winton and husband Dennis of Arlington, TX and Mark Wiesen and wife Kathy of Spring, TX; many nieces, nephews and friends whom she loved dearly.

Special thank you to True Blessings for their loving care and dedication, and to Kim Huseman, Della’s personal assistant for the past several years.

The family suggest memorials be made to The Della Dunn Scholarship, c/o Amarillo College, PO Box 447, Amarillo, TX 79178 or Polk Street UMC, 1401 S. Polk St., Amarillo, TX 79109.