Search by Name

Search by Name

Dorothy Hightower Obituary

Dorothy Turnage Hightower

Oak Ridge, TN

Dorothy Turnage Hightower of Oak Ridge, Tennessee passed away February 26, 2014, surrounded by family and friends. She was born May 29, 1941 in Kosciusko Mississippi and later moved to Lake, Mississippi, and then to Newton, Mississippi. She graduated from Newton high school, and attended the University of Mississippi, Tulane University, the University of Tennessee, and Roane State Community College. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity at Ole Miss. She earned an associate's degree in respiratory therapy from Roane State.

She married her husband of 52 years, J. Robert Hightower, on June 24, 1961.

Dot, as she was known by her friends, moved to Oak Ridge from New Orleans in 1964. A powerful and beautiful force of nature, she was active in many organizations and roles in the community. She was one of the early members of Planned Parenthood Association of the Southern Mountains. She served as president of the Oak Ridge Art Center in 1995, and as president of Ossoli Circle in Knoxville in 1999-2000. She was a graduate of Leadership Oak Ridge, Class of 1995. In her early years in Oak Ridge she was a member of the League of Women Voters and taught Sunday School at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. She had strong faith in Christ and was a member of the Women's Interfaith Dialog Group. She was one of the founding members of the Oak Ridge Institute of Continued Learning (ORICL), and was a Paul Harris Fellow out of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge. In 2013 she received a Tributes to the Arts Award presented by the Arts Council of Oak Ridge for her years of support to the Oak Ridge Art Center. She was a commissioner on the City of Oak Ridge Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, serving as chair of that board in 2013.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wade Hollingsworth Turnage and Maude McMullan Turnage, and by a brother Wade Hollingsworth Turnage, Jr., all of Newton, MS. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Alison Mancuso (husband Peter), of Canton, Michigan, and by three grandchildren: Jonathan, Christopher, and Amanda Mancuso. She leaves many, many friends in Oak Ridge.

Funeral services will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Oak Ridge at 3:00 p.m. on March 8, 2014, followed by interment in the Memorial Garden at St. Stephen's and a reception at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Oak Ridge Art Center, P. O. Box 7005, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-3305 or to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 212 Tulane Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.Martin Oak Ridge Funeral Home is serving the Hightower family Martin Oak Ridge Funeral Home 1017 Turnpike Oak Ridge Tennesse 37830 865 483 4341 http://www.martinfuneralhomeoakridge.com/

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Clarion Ledger on Mar. 4, 2014.

Memories and Condolences
for Dorothy Hightower

Not sure what to say?





March 9, 2014

So sorry for your loss, peace to all. Louise Mixon

March 8, 2014

Our community will not be the same without Dot's smile and positive attitude. She will truly be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with you...
Marilyn Schuette

Drama Robeson

March 7, 2014

We remember your family in our prayers, and pray for you to have Comfort and Strength. All of us in D.A.R. will miss her.

Gene McNeese

March 6, 2014

So sorry to hear of your loss. Dot touched the lives of many people for the better. Our thoughts are with you.

Gene McNeese and Barbara Redmon

Ron and Mary Alice Canon

March 5, 2014

So sorry for your loss. We will be keeping you in our thoughts.

Brad & Stephanie Patton

March 5, 2014

Dot was a beautiful woman and will be missed by many. I am so sorry for your loss. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers.

Larry Greer

March 4, 2014

The Turnage family was well respected in Newton, Ms.
We will miss you as we have your parents and brother.

Sharon Blansett-Campbell

March 4, 2014

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are for you and your family at this time. "I will look unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord......"

J. R. Williams

March 4, 2014

My prayers are with you.

Showing 1 - 9 of 9 results

Make a Donation
in Dorothy Hightower's name

Memorial Events
for Dorothy Hightower

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

Funeral services provided by:

Mott-McKamey Funeral Home - Oak Ridge

1017 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

How to support Dorothy's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor Dorothy Hightower's life and legacy
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more