Obituary for Dorothy Lea Moore
Dorothy Lea Moore, our beautiful mother, went home to be with the Lord on March 5th following a short illness. She passed peacefully with her children by her side. She taught us how to live with love, grace, and dignity. She taught us how to die the same way.
Dorothy was born February 6th, 1930, in Frame, West Virginia to Fred Holbert and Delcie Mae (Nichols) Smith.
Dorothy was a devout Christian who devoted her life to serving God and raising her children to follow Christ's teachings. In fact, her proudest accomplishment was raising her children to all be successful in worldly terms, without losing their focus on living Christ centered lives. A legacy that still lives on in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very active in helping her husband share the love of Christ in and around the community through the Elkview Church of Christ.
While Dorothy never wanted any recognition, she managed the accounting side of the family business until she had to switch roles to that of caregiver when her husband suffered a massive stroke, one that left him severely paralyzed and unable to speak. Under her constant care, in time, he recovered his speech and some mobility and lived for 19 more years. His remarkable recovery was attributed by his doctors to her amazing love and care.
Dorothy was a member of the "Greatest Generation" that brought this country through WWII. Her excellent typing and math skills, and razor-sharp memory, led to her being offered the schools secretary's job beginning her senior year at Elkview High School. This job took its toll on her as she was charged with helping the "boys", including her friends and family members, fill out the paperwork required to enter the military. With her excellent memory she remembered the names of each one who did not return from the war and could recite them till just a few months before her death.
Dorothy and Edward were engaged when he returned from the Navy in WWII, only to put their wedding on hold when he was recalled to duty with the WV Air National Guard for the Korean war. They planned their wedding while he was on active duty at Godman Air Force Base, KY. Edward and his best man drove in a day early to Charleston for the wedding instead of flying in with the other members returning for a funeral. Unfortunately, that plane crashed short of the airport in bad weather and 21 men in their unit were killed. Dorothy spent her honeymoon with Edward attending the funerals for each of these men. They then began their marriage back at Godman AFB helping to train the replacements for those men.
Dorothy again felt the heartbreak of war as she saw her son and his friends enter the military during Vietnam some who didn't return and those who did return but still suffer the effects of it. Because of this she supported veteran's programs her entire life and instilled a strong sense of duty to country in her children and grandchildren.
One of Dorothy's greatest characteristics was that she emulated the love of Christ in which we are commanded to treat all others the way we want to be treated. Regardless of who she was with, be it the homeless or state and national leaders, she epitomized that principle by treating each one with the same love and respect.
At home she loved being a mother and a wife. She was a seamstress who diligently made dresses and outfits for her children, as well as prom dresses for her daughters and their friends throughout the community. She loved arts and crafts and hand-made many of the family's holiday decorations. She was an amazing cook who grew her own gardens and canned most of what those gardens produced. Dorothy took cake decorating classes and made wedding cakes and special occasion cakes for friends and family. She also baked specialty pies and gave them as gifts to her friends and family. She passed those skills on to her daughters who later in life opened GRAM'S by Dorothy Lee in Kanawha City. Her recipes were spread throughout the Kanawha Valley and used at GRAM'S.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, parents, siblings and spouses: James "Elbert" (Betty)Smith, Johnnie Smith, and Ollie Mae (James Kermit "Whiz") Carper.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren Dr. Edward (Vicky) Moore {Christopher and Matthew.} Susan (Rusty) Mullins {Brianne, Caitlin, and Benjamin.} Sandra(Jack) Richardson {Brad and Kira.} Renita (Michael) Miller {Sarah and Douglas.}, Dr. Gregory Moore {Sydney.} Kayla (Gary) Shamblin {Haylee.} She is also survived by 9 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and their children, and her extended Church family, all whom she loved dearly.
The family would like to thank Dr. Rohit Patel for his excellent care of mom during her final years.
A funeral service will be at 1:00pm on Friday, March 11, 2022 at Hafer Funeral Home, Pastors Kenneth Mitchell, and Michael Miller will be officiating. Burial will follow at Elk Hills Memorial Park.
Visitation will be Thursday, March 10, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Hafer Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be sent to www.haferfuneralhome.net
Arrangements are in the care of Hafer Funeral Home, 50 North Pinch Road, Elkview, WV 25071.
Dorothy was born February 6th, 1930, in Frame, West Virginia to Fred Holbert and Delcie Mae (Nichols) Smith.
Dorothy was a devout Christian who devoted her life to serving God and raising her children to follow Christ's teachings. In fact, her proudest accomplishment was raising her children to all be successful in worldly terms, without losing their focus on living Christ centered lives. A legacy that still lives on in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very active in helping her husband share the love of Christ in and around the community through the Elkview Church of Christ.
While Dorothy never wanted any recognition, she managed the accounting side of the family business until she had to switch roles to that of caregiver when her husband suffered a massive stroke, one that left him severely paralyzed and unable to speak. Under her constant care, in time, he recovered his speech and some mobility and lived for 19 more years. His remarkable recovery was attributed by his doctors to her amazing love and care.
Dorothy was a member of the "Greatest Generation" that brought this country through WWII. Her excellent typing and math skills, and razor-sharp memory, led to her being offered the schools secretary's job beginning her senior year at Elkview High School. This job took its toll on her as she was charged with helping the "boys", including her friends and family members, fill out the paperwork required to enter the military. With her excellent memory she remembered the names of each one who did not return from the war and could recite them till just a few months before her death.
Dorothy and Edward were engaged when he returned from the Navy in WWII, only to put their wedding on hold when he was recalled to duty with the WV Air National Guard for the Korean war. They planned their wedding while he was on active duty at Godman Air Force Base, KY. Edward and his best man drove in a day early to Charleston for the wedding instead of flying in with the other members returning for a funeral. Unfortunately, that plane crashed short of the airport in bad weather and 21 men in their unit were killed. Dorothy spent her honeymoon with Edward attending the funerals for each of these men. They then began their marriage back at Godman AFB helping to train the replacements for those men.
Dorothy again felt the heartbreak of war as she saw her son and his friends enter the military during Vietnam some who didn't return and those who did return but still suffer the effects of it. Because of this she supported veteran's programs her entire life and instilled a strong sense of duty to country in her children and grandchildren.
One of Dorothy's greatest characteristics was that she emulated the love of Christ in which we are commanded to treat all others the way we want to be treated. Regardless of who she was with, be it the homeless or state and national leaders, she epitomized that principle by treating each one with the same love and respect.
At home she loved being a mother and a wife. She was a seamstress who diligently made dresses and outfits for her children, as well as prom dresses for her daughters and their friends throughout the community. She loved arts and crafts and hand-made many of the family's holiday decorations. She was an amazing cook who grew her own gardens and canned most of what those gardens produced. Dorothy took cake decorating classes and made wedding cakes and special occasion cakes for friends and family. She also baked specialty pies and gave them as gifts to her friends and family. She passed those skills on to her daughters who later in life opened GRAM'S by Dorothy Lee in Kanawha City. Her recipes were spread throughout the Kanawha Valley and used at GRAM'S.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, parents, siblings and spouses: James "Elbert" (Betty)Smith, Johnnie Smith, and Ollie Mae (James Kermit "Whiz") Carper.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren Dr. Edward (Vicky) Moore {Christopher and Matthew.} Susan (Rusty) Mullins {Brianne, Caitlin, and Benjamin.} Sandra(Jack) Richardson {Brad and Kira.} Renita (Michael) Miller {Sarah and Douglas.}, Dr. Gregory Moore {Sydney.} Kayla (Gary) Shamblin {Haylee.} She is also survived by 9 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and their children, and her extended Church family, all whom she loved dearly.
The family would like to thank Dr. Rohit Patel for his excellent care of mom during her final years.
A funeral service will be at 1:00pm on Friday, March 11, 2022 at Hafer Funeral Home, Pastors Kenneth Mitchell, and Michael Miller will be officiating. Burial will follow at Elk Hills Memorial Park.
Visitation will be Thursday, March 10, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Hafer Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be sent to www.haferfuneralhome.net
Arrangements are in the care of Hafer Funeral Home, 50 North Pinch Road, Elkview, WV 25071.