Dorothy Eula Owings

Dorothy Walker Owings will be celebrating her 100th birthday with God in Heaven on April 16. Dot passed away March 25 at home in Kingsport after a period of declining health.

For the past several years, Dot often shared advice to others, saying, “Aspire to inspire before you expire.” And inspire she has!

Forever young at heart, she loved life and loved the people in her life. She generously shared kindness and joy and maintained a positive attitude and a beautiful smile. Dot remained active throughout her life, often saying, “Move it or lose it!” She played tennis into her 90’s, loved swimming, listening to music and sitting on the beach in Hilton Head. She was devoted to keeping her mind active and worked crossword puzzles and played other games until the last year or so.

She was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Chattanooga before moving to Kingsport, where she belonged to Kendrick’s Creek United Methodist Church and later attended Celebration Church while her health permitted.

Dot was born in Middlesboro, Ky. After high school there, she graduated from Knoxville Business College. Her first job was as a secretary at Clinton Engineering Works in Oak Ridge when the atom bomb was secretly being developed. She worked in office jobs in Indiana, in Dayton, Tn., where she raised her family, and in Chattanooga. She retired as an executive secretary for Chevron Chemical Company and subsequently moved to Kingsport to be near family members.

Dot was preceded in death by her husband, James (Jim) Owings; her son, Charles Gordon Brooks; her stepdaughter, Mary Jane Owings Dishion; former husband, Ernest Garland; step-grandson, Marty Garland; her parents, Walter Walker and Roxie Hensley Walker Brooks; and her stepfather Virgil Brooks.

Survivors include her daughters, Mary Beth Garland Strickler (Bob), Kingsport; Martha Garland Lawson (Ray), Kingsport; step-children, Patricia Owings Davis (Eddie), Collierville, TN., Vivian Shoffner and Bobby Garland (Betty) of Dayton, TN; Johnny Garland (Dot) of Concord, N.C.; E.L. Garland Jr., Harrogate, TN; grandchildren, Scott Strickler, Krista Lawson Manuel, Jennifer Steadman, Anita Squires, Brian Brooks, Jonathan Brooks; step-grandchildren, Chad Taylor, Christy Taylor Goforth, Bethany Dishion Thompson, Kathleen Dishion, Misty Moler, Mark Garland, Mike Garland, Greg Garland, Debbie Shoffner, Sheila Colvin, Roger Shoffner, Brian Shoffner, Eric Garland and Tracy Garland; several great-grandchildren and even a few great-great grandchildren.

A celebration of Dot’s life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests those wanting to honor Dot perform some act of kindness in her memory and that they always remember to love God, love their family, and find joy and fun in life.

The family wishes to express its deep gratitude to Smoky Mountain Health Care and Hospice, with special thanks to Chelsea and Melissa.