Dorothy L. Gathright

Dorothy L. Gathright, 86, went home to Jesus on May 5, 2005, after a courageous battle with cancer. She died at Hospice Home in Buchanan. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 A.M. Monday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Crystal Springs Cemetery. Friends may call from 5-7 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Dorothy was horn on April 23, 1919, in Texarkana, Texas, to David and Dora (West) Bush. On January 3, 1936, she married John “Joe” Gathright in Monette, Arkansas. They were married for 53 years before his death on November 7, 1989. She was raised in Arkansas, but spent most of her adult life in the Benton Harbor ? St. Joseph area. Dorothy was a devoted wife, Mother, Grandma, Maw Maw, Great Grandma and Aunt. She loved her family above all and her family loved her very much. Each one was very devoted to her. She will be missed beyond measure. She had the capacity to make everyone who came into her presence feel like they were the most important person in the world-to feel loved, accepted, and valued as a person. Nothing she was doing was ever more important than the person walking through the door, or calling on the phone. Love and forgiveness were her motto. She loved unconditionally and forgave without reservation. She loved quilting and made quilts for everyone in her family. She was a great cook and made better fried chicken than “the Colonel”! She never had a lot of worldly goods, but she would tell you that she was the richest woman in the world because of her loving family. Her family knows how blessed they are to have had a mom and grandmother who taught them to love, forgive and never take each other for granted. She is survived by one daughter Linda (Jim) Arnold, Niles; and four sons, John (Sara) Gathright. Jr., Coloma; Bill (Marion) Gathright, Baroda; Jerry (Sharon) Gathright, St. Joseph; and Steve (Maureen) Gathright, Baroda; and a son-in-law Gene Welch, Stevensville. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; and 2 daughters, Mary Jo Welch and Dora Lee Gathright. She was also preceded in death by 4 sisters and 1 brother. The family requests that gifts in memory of their mother be given to Hospice at Home or Berrien County Cancer Service. “Her children will rise up and call her blessed….” Proverbs 31:28