Reverend Bernard Earl Dotson

The Reverend Bernard Earl Dotson, 90, died on Thursday, December 6, 2001 in Southern Pines. He was born in Pasadena, California to Reva Payne Dotson and Bernard E. Dotson.
Mr. Dotson grew up in Wise, Virginia and attended Greenbrier Military Academy. He graduated from Hampden Sydney College where he was a golden gloves boxer, quarterback of the football team, ran track, played baseball, and was on the golf team. He married his lifetime sweetheart, Mayo Beaty of Wise, Va. In 1942, he graduated from Union Theological Seminary, Richmond.
The Rev. Dotson served Presbyterian pastorates in Mt. Olive, NC and Carthage, NC from 1942 to 1975. Thereafter, he did volunteer pastoral care at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church, Southern Pines. His ministry emphasized the love of God and God's compassion and caring between all people.
He was active in the Mount Olive and Carthage Rotary Clubs and the Southern Pines Kiwanis Club. He and his wife actively campaigned for and supported the North Carolina Symphony in Moore County and the Moore County Hospital Foundation. They were members of the Pinehurst Forum and the Country Club of North Carolina. He was a first flight golfer.
He is survived by his wife, Mayo Beaty Dotson of Southern Pines; daughter, Molly Dotson Morgan and husband, Pat of Reidsville; sons, Bernard E. Dotson Jr. of Atlanta, Ga. and Thomas Y. Dotson of Southern Pines; sister, Sue Bruce Duncan of Richmond, Va., and brother, Creed Bruce of Hanford, California. He is survived by grandsons, Melzer Adron Morgan III and wife, Kristi, and Patrick Earl Morgan and fiancee, Elizabeth Chevres of Black Mountain, NC. His great-grandchildren are Lily Reva Morgan and Melzer Adron MorganIV.
A memorial service in celebration of the resurrection to eternal life will be conducted on Sunday, December 9, 2001at 3 p.m. at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church, 330 May Street, Southern Pines, NC.
The family will greet friendsat the church after the memorial service.
A second memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 11, 2001 at 11 a.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church, Wise, VA, with interment at Powell Valley Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers,contributions can be made in Dotson's memory to Brownson Memorial Church, 330 May Street, Southern Pine, NC 28387, Hampden Syndey College, P.O. Box 637, Hampden Sydney, VA 23943, or Trinity United Methodist Church, Wise, VA. 24293.