Dorothy May Peele

Dorothy (Dot) May Peele, 86, of Roanoke, responded to God's call peacefully and entered the arms of Jesus on Thursday October 16, 2008. Dorothy was born on February 18, 1922 in Newark, N.J. To the late Charles and Beatrice Gernert. She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Kermit Peele, son, Macon T. Peele, and several brothers and sisters. She leaves to cherish her memory, daughters, Patricia Peele, Roanoke, Va., Donna Parks, Betterton, Md.; sisters, Gladys Hudson, Julie May; brothers, Peter and Robert Gernert; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; special friends, Odette and Richard Laughlin, Homer and Gerrie Cox, and Arthur Thrasher; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. Dorothy served in the U.S. Woman's Army Air Corps during World War II in Riverside, Calif., where she met and married Sgt. Kermit Peele. They moved to Washington, D.C. after service, and Kermit joined the D.C. Fire Department, retiring as a Lieutenant after 30 years of service. Dot was proud to be a "firefighters wife", and homemaker during those years, and retired from the Prince Georges County Maryland School System as an administrator. Dot was a wonderful loving and giving woman who faithfully supported St. Jude's Childrens Hospital. She greatly enjoyed her many travels to Hawaii and the Bahamas, and had fond memories of spending many Summers in the Outer Banks and Florida. The family will receive friends at Oakey's South Chapel in Roanoke from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on both Wednesday and Thursday, October 22 and 23rd. There will also be a visitation on Friday afternoon at the Chambers Funeral Home on Cleveland Ave. in Riverdale , Maryland, where funeral services will be conducted on Saturday October 25, 2008. Interment will follow in the Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38105. Arrangements by Oakey's South Chapel. 540-989-3131, or Chambers Funeral Service, 301-699-5500.