Dorothy “Dot” Elizabeth Wright Norton, 97, passed away Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle in Columbus, MS, surrounded by her family. She was born July 4, 1919, in Cheraw, SC, to James Corrieton and Bertha Cordelia Melton Wright. Married 45 years, she was the widow of Evan Norton. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she was affectionately called “Grandma Dot” by family and friends, and instilled a loyalty to family in each of them.
Services will be at
noon
on
Friday, March 3, 2017
, at Main Street Presbyterian Church, Columbus, MS with the Rev. Todd Matocha and the Rev. J. Edward Norton officiating. Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Funeral Home.
She graduated from Cheraw High School, Cheraw, SC, and attended Queen’s College in Charlotte, NC. Among her various jobs over the years, her favorites were in merchandising for Colonial Williamsburg and, in her later years, housemother for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at Mississippi State University. She was a member of Main Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus. She took great pleasure in studying the Bible and was a member of the Bible Study Fellowship in Columbus where she served as a discussion leader.
She had a talent for quilting, ceramic painting, and southern style cooking. She was always surrounded by her potted plants, especially pansies, which she lovingly tended. She instilled in her family a love of the South Carolina beaches, and they shared many summer vacations there together.
Always ready for an excursion, her grandchildren fondly remember trips to historical landmarks and any destination near the ocean. She also enjoyed dancing to Big Band Music and rooting for the Clemson Tigers with her late husband Evan, A Clemson alum.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband listed above, her brother, James C. Wright, Jr. and her sisters, Virginia W. Allison and Shirley W. Walton.
Surviving her are her children, Rev. J. Edward (Sally) Norton of Memphis, TN; Dorothy N. (Jon) Fortman of Columbus, MS; and Sandy (Jim) Goalder of Williamsburg, VA; her grandchildren, Peachie Gore, Becky Owings, Cindy Sanders, Jamie Goalder, Forrest Goalder, Halley Williams, Evan Norton, Clarke Norton, fifteen great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.
Pallbearers will be Ford Williams, Evan Norton,, Camden Sanders, Forrest Goalder, Sam Dornan and Max Dornan.
The family extends its heartfelt thanks to the caregivers at Collegeview Personal Care Home for their loving care over the last two years, especially Sylvia Richardson. Also, a special thank you to her physician of many years, Dr. Brett Brown, and to those who cared for her in her final days, Dr. Boswell, Dr. Duckworth, hospice nurses and nursing staff at Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 9681, Columbus, MS 39705; Highlands Presbyterian Church, 1160 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157; Main Street Presbyterian Church, Post Office Box 26, Columbus, MS 39703.
