On March 26, 1943, Dorothy "Dottie" Marie Lewis Owens was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to her most beloved mother, Dorothy Marie Sawyer Lewis who predeceased her in death in 1991. Dottie passed from this life to her heavenly home on December 27, 2021, in Melbourne, Florida after losing a hard-fought battle with post-surgery complications. She was raised in Portsmouth by her mother with her sister, Jo Anne Oliver (Joe), and her brother, Roy "Bud" Phillip Lewis, Jr (Trisha) whom she leaves behind to wonder how life will be without their "big" sister to watch over them. She attended Churchland High School and was always a Trucker at heart. However, she met and married the love of her life, Ralph Elwood Owens on July 2, 1960. Alas, a married woman was not allowed at Churchland High School in 1960, so she quit school and tackled the most important jobs of her life by becoming the best daughter, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, cousin, faithful employee, and friend to all who were fortunate enough to know her.
Dottie and Ralph shared 61 years and were fortunate enough to travel and enjoy many journeys in life. For the last nine years, they lived on and off in Melbourne, Florida growing closer to Dottie's sister, Jo Anne, and her husband Joe Oliver, who passed on June 27, 2020. They loved spending time with Dottie's cousin, Carol, and her husband Bert Culpepper Jr. reaping the benefits of years of hard work.
One of the other blessings of their union were their three children, Amanda "Mandy" Leigh-Owens Hampton, Mark Stephen Owens (Marcy), and Andrea Lynne Owens (Chuck Hannan). She leaves behind to cherish her memory, nine grandchildren, Andrea's children, Aaron Michael Coley and Victoria Elizabeth Warren; Mark's children with Kim Parker, Cassidy Marie Owens, and Colby Brett Owens. When Mark married Marcy, the family was blessed to welcome Morgan, Courtney, Taylor, Mason, and Sara Rhodes whom they immediately welcomed and loved into their lives.
She lived a rich and full life with many friends and family. Her nephews Dan Oliver, Mike Oliver, and Brad Lewis as well as a host of other "nieces and nephews" and their children are heartbroken at the loss and will value the many memories made through the years. Left behind are her Aunt Iris Flanders and Aunt Lorraine Elliott, as well are her dearest cousins, Carol Culpepper (Bert), Faye O'Neal, Ginger Boykin, Pasty Kelly, Drue Simmonds, and Phyllis Thornton. Some of her cherished friends are Peggy Alexander, Brenda Gillette, Linda Lambert, Kitty Gray, and Sue Williams. In addition, she will be missed by her Culpepper/Lewis/Meiggs/Sawyer family made of cousins, aunts, uncles, and their children. She was a true friend and loyal to all she took into her heart.
More than anything Dottie loved cooking a big dinner for family and friends to enjoy. Whether it was "just" a weekly Sunday dinner or a feast for 50 at Christmas, she relished every moment of entertaining people in her home. Many thought she should open a homestyle restaurant as she was known as "the best cook in town." Outside her "kitchen" domain, Dottie devoted herself to her work at DACS in Portsmouth, Virginia where she spent 30 years in Customer Service and Logistics. This proved to be a great source of pride for her in all she accomplished as an employee. Her work family was as close as her own family and she will be deeply missed by them.
To know Dottie meant that you were probably on the end of one of her many admonitions about how to make your life better. She was always full of advice that you better take. She made us laugh, she made us cry. She endured some of the most horrific pain any human has suffered only to persevere again and again. Everyone who met her loved her. Knowing Dottie is one of the greatest blessings anyone could receive in this life. We will cherish the memories that must sustain us in this time of loss and in the future as Dottie is simply irreplaceable in our lives.
Dottie and Ralph shared 61 years and were fortunate enough to travel and enjoy many journeys in life. For the last nine years, they lived on and off in Melbourne, Florida growing closer to Dottie's sister, Jo Anne, and her husband Joe Oliver, who passed on June 27, 2020. They loved spending time with Dottie's cousin, Carol, and her husband Bert Culpepper Jr. reaping the benefits of years of hard work.
One of the other blessings of their union were their three children, Amanda "Mandy" Leigh-Owens Hampton, Mark Stephen Owens (Marcy), and Andrea Lynne Owens (Chuck Hannan). She leaves behind to cherish her memory, nine grandchildren, Andrea's children, Aaron Michael Coley and Victoria Elizabeth Warren; Mark's children with Kim Parker, Cassidy Marie Owens, and Colby Brett Owens. When Mark married Marcy, the family was blessed to welcome Morgan, Courtney, Taylor, Mason, and Sara Rhodes whom they immediately welcomed and loved into their lives.
She lived a rich and full life with many friends and family. Her nephews Dan Oliver, Mike Oliver, and Brad Lewis as well as a host of other "nieces and nephews" and their children are heartbroken at the loss and will value the many memories made through the years. Left behind are her Aunt Iris Flanders and Aunt Lorraine Elliott, as well are her dearest cousins, Carol Culpepper (Bert), Faye O'Neal, Ginger Boykin, Pasty Kelly, Drue Simmonds, and Phyllis Thornton. Some of her cherished friends are Peggy Alexander, Brenda Gillette, Linda Lambert, Kitty Gray, and Sue Williams. In addition, she will be missed by her Culpepper/Lewis/Meiggs/Sawyer family made of cousins, aunts, uncles, and their children. She was a true friend and loyal to all she took into her heart.
More than anything Dottie loved cooking a big dinner for family and friends to enjoy. Whether it was "just" a weekly Sunday dinner or a feast for 50 at Christmas, she relished every moment of entertaining people in her home. Many thought she should open a homestyle restaurant as she was known as "the best cook in town." Outside her "kitchen" domain, Dottie devoted herself to her work at DACS in Portsmouth, Virginia where she spent 30 years in Customer Service and Logistics. This proved to be a great source of pride for her in all she accomplished as an employee. Her work family was as close as her own family and she will be deeply missed by them.
To know Dottie meant that you were probably on the end of one of her many admonitions about how to make your life better. She was always full of advice that you better take. She made us laugh, she made us cry. She endured some of the most horrific pain any human has suffered only to persevere again and again. Everyone who met her loved her. Knowing Dottie is one of the greatest blessings anyone could receive in this life. We will cherish the memories that must sustain us in this time of loss and in the future as Dottie is simply irreplaceable in our lives.
On March 26, 1943, Dorothy "Dottie" Marie Lewis Owens was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to her most beloved mother, Dorothy Marie Sawyer Lewis who predeceased her in death in 1991. Dottie passed from this life to her heavenly home on December 27, 2021, in Melbourne, Florida after losing a hard-fought battle with post-surgery complications. She was raised in Portsmouth by her mother with her sister, Jo Anne Oliver (Joe), and her brother, Roy "Bud" Phillip Lewis, Jr (Trisha) whom she leaves behind to wonder how life will be without their "big" sister to watch over them. She attended Churchland High School and was always a Trucker at heart. However, she met and married the love of her life, Ralph Elwood Owens on July 2, 1960. Alas, a married woman was not allowed at Churchland High School in 1960, so she quit school and tackled the most important jobs of her life by becoming the best daughter, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, cousin, faithful employee, and friend to all who were fortunate enough to know her.
Dottie and Ralph shared 61 years and were fortunate enough to travel and enjoy many journeys in life. For the last nine years, they lived on and off in Melbourne, Florida growing closer to Dottie's sister, Jo Anne, and her husband Joe Oliver, who passed on June 27, 2020. They loved spending time with Dottie's cousin, Carol, and her husband Bert Culpepper Jr. reaping the benefits of years of hard work.
One of the other blessings of their union were their three children, Amanda "Mandy" Leigh-Owens Hampton, Mark Stephen Owens (Marcy), and Andrea Lynne Owens (Chuck Hannan). She leaves behind to cherish her memory, nine grandchildren, Andrea's children, Aaron Michael Coley and Victoria Elizabeth Warren; Mark's children with Kim Parker, Cassidy Marie Owens, and Colby Brett Owens. When Mark married Marcy, the family was blessed to welcome Morgan, Courtney, Taylor, Mason, and Sara Rhodes whom they immediately welcomed and loved into their lives.
She lived a rich and full life with many friends and family. Her nephews Dan Oliver, Mike Oliver, and Brad Lewis as well as a host of other "nieces and nephews" and their children are heartbroken at the loss and will value the many memories made through the years. Left behind are her Aunt Iris Flanders and Aunt Lorraine Elliott, as well are her dearest cousins, Carol Culpepper (Bert), Faye O'Neal, Ginger Boykin, Pasty Kelly, Drue Simmonds, and Phyllis Thornton. Some of her cherished friends are Peggy Alexander, Brenda Gillette, Linda Lambert, Kitty Gray, and Sue Williams. In addition, she will be missed by her Culpepper/Lewis/Meiggs/Sawyer family made of cousins, aunts, uncles, and their children. She was a true friend and loyal to all she took into her heart.
More than anything Dottie loved cooking a big dinner for family and friends to enjoy. Whether it was "just" a weekly Sunday dinner or a feast for 50 at Christmas, she relished every moment of entertaining people in her home. Many thought she should open a homestyle restaurant as she was known as "the best cook in town." Outside her "kitchen" domain, Dottie devoted herself to her work at DACS in Portsmouth, Virginia where she spent 30 years in Customer Service and Logistics. This proved to be a great source of pride for her in all she accomplished as an employee. Her work family was as close as her own family and she will be deeply missed by them.
To know Dottie meant that you were probably on the end of one of her many admonitions about how to make your life better. She was always full of advice that you better take. She made us laugh, she made us cry. She endured some of the most horrific pain any human has suffered only to persevere again and again. Everyone who met her loved her. Knowing Dottie is one of the greatest blessings anyone could receive in this life. We will cherish the memories that must sustain us in this time of loss and in the future as Dottie is simply irreplaceable in our lives.
Dottie and Ralph shared 61 years and were fortunate enough to travel and enjoy many journeys in life. For the last nine years, they lived on and off in Melbourne, Florida growing closer to Dottie's sister, Jo Anne, and her husband Joe Oliver, who passed on June 27, 2020. They loved spending time with Dottie's cousin, Carol, and her husband Bert Culpepper Jr. reaping the benefits of years of hard work.
One of the other blessings of their union were their three children, Amanda "Mandy" Leigh-Owens Hampton, Mark Stephen Owens (Marcy), and Andrea Lynne Owens (Chuck Hannan). She leaves behind to cherish her memory, nine grandchildren, Andrea's children, Aaron Michael Coley and Victoria Elizabeth Warren; Mark's children with Kim Parker, Cassidy Marie Owens, and Colby Brett Owens. When Mark married Marcy, the family was blessed to welcome Morgan, Courtney, Taylor, Mason, and Sara Rhodes whom they immediately welcomed and loved into their lives.
She lived a rich and full life with many friends and family. Her nephews Dan Oliver, Mike Oliver, and Brad Lewis as well as a host of other "nieces and nephews" and their children are heartbroken at the loss and will value the many memories made through the years. Left behind are her Aunt Iris Flanders and Aunt Lorraine Elliott, as well are her dearest cousins, Carol Culpepper (Bert), Faye O'Neal, Ginger Boykin, Pasty Kelly, Drue Simmonds, and Phyllis Thornton. Some of her cherished friends are Peggy Alexander, Brenda Gillette, Linda Lambert, Kitty Gray, and Sue Williams. In addition, she will be missed by her Culpepper/Lewis/Meiggs/Sawyer family made of cousins, aunts, uncles, and their children. She was a true friend and loyal to all she took into her heart.
More than anything Dottie loved cooking a big dinner for family and friends to enjoy. Whether it was "just" a weekly Sunday dinner or a feast for 50 at Christmas, she relished every moment of entertaining people in her home. Many thought she should open a homestyle restaurant as she was known as "the best cook in town." Outside her "kitchen" domain, Dottie devoted herself to her work at DACS in Portsmouth, Virginia where she spent 30 years in Customer Service and Logistics. This proved to be a great source of pride for her in all she accomplished as an employee. Her work family was as close as her own family and she will be deeply missed by them.
To know Dottie meant that you were probably on the end of one of her many admonitions about how to make your life better. She was always full of advice that you better take. She made us laugh, she made us cry. She endured some of the most horrific pain any human has suffered only to persevere again and again. Everyone who met her loved her. Knowing Dottie is one of the greatest blessings anyone could receive in this life. We will cherish the memories that must sustain us in this time of loss and in the future as Dottie is simply irreplaceable in our lives.
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