Dorothy McCorkle Wellford

Dorothy McCorkle Wellford was born on March 19, 1930, in Lenoir, North Carolina, to Elsie Roberts and Karr Litaker McCorkle. She moved to Memphis for dental hygiene school at the University of Tennessee. She met Dabney Wellford at First Presbyterian Church, where they married in 1955. She and Dabney loved each other dearly. They settled next door to Dabney's childhood home in Cordova in the home that Dabney built.
Dorothy was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Memphis, serving as a substitute organist, elder, choir member, and an active member of the Women of the Church. She was awarded the Honorary Lifetime Membership Award after serving as Moderator for the Presbytery-wide Women of the Church. Dorothy was an amazing gardener. She loved her flowers and decided that she could save the Church significant money by learning to arrange them. She grew flowers with Dabney's help in the garden, arranged, and placed several arrangements at the Church each Sunday for about forty years. She and Dabney also headed the effort to collect and transport leftover baked goods from Kroger and Panera Bread to the First Presbyterian Church Soup Kitchen and regularly delivered Meals on Wheels for MIFA.
She and Dabney were active tennis players. They enjoyed playing together and often traveled to play tennis on vacations. She and Dabney competed in numerous USTA Leagues. Dorothy coached her women's tennis team for many years, and the ladies remained close friends long after they stopped playing. She competed in the National Senior Olympics playing mixed doubles tennis with Dabney and women's doubles as well. Dorothy and her women's partner won a silver medal in the 80-85 age category of the National Senior Olympics. She and her partner did win gold as well, but Dorothy always pointed out that it was due to a forfeit. Her competitive spirit extended to cards, where she and Dabney also enjoyed playing bridge. In fact, prior to her stroke on December 6, 2025, Dorothy drove to play in her regular Friday bridge game the day before.
She is survived by her children: Dabney, Jr. (Carolyn), Brandon (Charissa), and Evelyn (Jon) Walker. She has five grandchildren: Diana (Jason) Turner, Nicole Wellford, Robert Wellford, Anne (Daniel) Mitchell, and Mac Walker, and one great-grandson, Brisbane Turner. Dorothy survived her two sisters and has nine nieces and nephews.
Her service will take place on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., with the service at 11:00 a.m. Following the service, a lunch/reception will be held in the Emmanuel Chapel below the sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church, 166 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed through the First Presbyterian Church Facebook page.
Because of Dorothy's love of flowers and color, we encourage you to wear your favorite color to celebrate her wonderful life and engaging personality. She wouldn't leave the house without her "lip" either. We hope that women who knew of Dorothy will proudly wear their lip in her memory.
The family requests that memorials in lieu of flowers be directed to First Presbyterian Church or the charity of your choice.