Dorothy E. "Dot" Smith (March 27, 1920 - November 10, 2014)

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Dorothy Smith

Born in Illinois

94 years

215585

     Dorothy Evelyn “Dot” Smith, 94, of Pekin, formerly of East Peoria, passed away at 2:22 a.m. on Monday, November 10, 2014, at Timber Creek, where she had made her home, since December of 2012.
     Memorial services, to celebrate the life of Dorothy “Dot” Smith, will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 16, 2014, at Highview Church of God, 2442 Centennial Drive in Washington, with the Rev. Christopher Bigger officiating. Cremation rites have been accorded and private interment of the cremated remains will be at Spring Hill Cemetery in Danville.
     She was born on March 27, 1920 in Danville, the eldest child of Addison Dewey and Blanche Rose (Sims) Garner. She married Thomas W. Smith on June 25, 1944 in Hoopeston. He preceded her in death on December 1, 1947. Her parents and a brother, Kenneth, also preceded her in death.
     Surviving are her brother, Harold (Dorothy) Garner and her sister, Patricia (David) Jarvis, both of Danville; niece, Carol (Gary) Paris of Washington, NC; nephews, David Garner of Peoria and Dennis (Roberta) Garner of Muncie, IN; and several great nieces and nephews.
     As a telephone operator for Illinois Bell, Dot transferred from Danville to Peoria in June of 1951. Her training as a toll operator for Illinois Bell began in Danville on December 7, 1941, in the hours following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Her career with Illinois Bell ended with her retirement in May of 1977.
     In 1959, Dot decided to continue her education at Bradley University, where she graduated Cum Laude in January of 1964, with a degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduation, she began teaching for Peoria Public School District 150. She first taught at Greeley and then at Irving School. She earned her M.A. degree from Bradley in January of 1968. Dot retired from classroom teaching in June of 1990. After retirement, she volunteered as an English as a Second Language instructor at the Peoria Adult Education Center for several years.
     From 1964 until 1977, Dot taught third grade by day and worked as an evening supervisor at Illinois Bell. She was active as a union representative for both the Communication Workers of America and the Peoria Federation of Teachers. She was a legislative delegate to the CIO Labor Council and served three years on the AFL/CIO Merger Committee. Dot was the only female charter member of the Peoria Tazewell Illinois Labor Council, where she served as a member of the Executive Board for eighteen years. As a member of the Peoria Federation of Teachers, she served as Secretary for two years, Treasurer for sixteen years and Negotiating Team Member for nine years. She also served as PFT delegate to the West Central Illinois Labor Council and the United Way.
     Dot worked as an election judge in Tazewell County, until 2010. This was also the year that she reluctantly gave up her lawn mower and step ladder, at the age of 90. She took great pride in maintaining her home on Lafayette Lane in East Peoria.
     Dot was a member of Highview Church of God in Washington, where she served as organist, pianist and accompanist for sixty-one years. Through the years, she served on the Worship, Finance, Evangelism and Mission committees. She was a Church Council delegate and served in many capacities at Highview and at the State and National levels of the Church of God.
     Thank you to Unity Point Methodist Hospice for the kindness and compassion shown during Dot’s final days and to the fourteen “Dot Squad” bedside sitters, who made sure that she was not alone.
     Memorial contributions may be made in Dot’s memory to the Peoria Regional Learning Center, 3826 North Taylor Road, Hanna City, IL 61536.
     Arrangements have been entrusted to Clary Funeral Home, 3004 West Lake Avenue, in Peoria.

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Latest Condolences

Hendrick Polanco

My Deepest Condolences

November 8, 2018

My deepest condolences. May these few words from the Holy Scriptures bring you comfort in your time of grief...

John 11:32-45

32 And so Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping, groaned in the spirit and became troubled; 34 and he said: “Where have YOU laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus gave way to tears. 36 Therefore the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he used to have for him!” 37 But some of them said: “Was not this [man] that opened the eyes of the blind man able to prevent this one from dying?”

38 Hence Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the memorial tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it.39 Jesus said: “TAKE the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it is four days.”40 Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Therefore they took the stone away. Now Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 True, I knew that you always hear me; but on account of the crowd standing around I spoke, in order that they might believe that you sent me forth.” 43 And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Laz´a·rus, come on out!” 44The [man] that had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his countenance was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Loose him and let him go.”

45 Therefore many of the Jews that had come to Mary and that beheld what he did put faith in him;

Please go to the following link for more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage

http://www.jw.org/finder?locale=en&docid=1102013500&prefer=lang

Cecilia Bourguet

My deepest condolences

November 21, 2014

My condolences, as feelings of pain and bitterness become unbearable. It is my desire to convey a comforting thought based on the Holy Scriptures

John 5:28 "Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out."

This passage speaks of the resurrection of our loved ones. It is not God's plan to see us suffer and die, so He extends the following invitation to us: "Come near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8)

Please go to the following link to obtain more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage and again we are sorry for your loss.

http://www.jw.org

Jeff Adkins-Dutro

Peoria Federation of Teachers

November 15, 2014

The Peoria Federation of Teachers would like to thank Dot for her service to District 150 and for her service as long-time treasurer of our union. Dot dedicated her life to serving the children of our community. God bless Dot and her family.

Jeff Adkins-Dutro
Peoria Federation of Teachers

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