Grandmother & Great Grandmother “Gigi” entered fully into the presence of the Lord at age 93
on January 30, 2023. She was born in Santa Claus Land, Indiana at home in a shack to Reuel
Riggle (farmer) and Myrtle Riggle (seamstress underwear factory) Their blonde haired little girl
had a gentle vivacious personality, full of energy & kindness. Dotty attended a fire & brimstone
church that frightened her and she finally accepted Jesus as her Lord in 1953 at age 24! Her
mother was quite concerned that it had taken her so long to accept Jesus! Dotty & Jud attended
Eastside Christian Church Evansville, IN and at the altar call Dotty went forward to accept the
Lord with her husband. Jud had been sprinkled as a baby, so they wanted to be baptized together
immediately after her accepting Christ. Her dear friend Shirley Schneider of 55 years told that
Dotty had brought her to know Christ 35 years ago! Dotty excelled in school in Boonville,
Indiana. Performed in the school play and was one of the only high school students to go on to
nursing school. A nursing education seemed an impossible dream for a family of humble means,
but God provided Dotty a maid's job to pay for a three years RN degree at Deaconess Hospital,
Evansville, Indiana. She met Judson Louis Parkhurst, an Evansville University business student,
on a blind date. They married November 22, 1950 beginning the adventure of a 69+ year
partnership in life until Jud passed in October 2019. The night her baby sister Judy was delivered
(Dotty was in on the delivery) she had her first date set up with Judson Parkhurst. Jud was
drafted in the army for The Korean War & that moved them to El Paso, TX April 1951, then to
Havre De Grace, MD. where Jud was a radar technician. In El Paso she worked at Providence
Memorial Hospital as a head nurse. In Haverty Grace Dotty worked labor & delivery with
homeless people & in the Emergency Room. After the war they moved to Evansville, Indiana. In
1953 Janet Lynn Parkhurst was born. In 1957 Steven David Parkhurst was born. Jud moved the
family to Kettering, OH for a job at DESC & Wright Patterson AFB; where they lived for 57
years. Dotty began working at Kettering Memorial Hospital. In 1960 Thomas Mark Parkhurst
was born in Kettering, OH. And in 1970 Jeffrey Craig Parkhurst was born. Dotty said that she
was so excited to go to work as a nurse that she tingled when she entered the Kettering Hospital.
Dotty's ministry was to her Lord. family & Central Christian Church. At the church she
organized and cooked bereavement dinners, visited shut ins, prepared and took communion for
church & to shut ins. Her quilting ministry made money for needs at the church.(donated $ Camp
Christian, Mercy Manor & the Homeless Shelter) Dotty spent years in mission work. She always
enjoyed the Hospitality committee where she baked & made food for others. Into her 80's she
baked and worked the garage sale yearly at the church. Dotty & Judson were short of celebrating
their 70th anniversary by a month when Judson went to be with the LORD in October 2019. She
acquired many treasures during her life: her children, GRANDS, great GRANDS, her service to
her church, & a deep abiding faith in her Savior. Dotty is survived by her family that loved her:
Densille Sutton of Boonville Indiana, Hilbert Riggle(deceased) of Boonville, Indiana & Judy
Durbin of Boonville, Indiana. She was a loving mother of her children & spouses: Judge Harland
& Janet Parkhurst Hale (Worthington, OH) Steve & Syrena Parkhurst (Estero, Florida,) Tom &
Deanna Parkhurst (Delaware, OH) & Jeff & Sarah Parkhurst (Columbus, OH) Barb & Doug
Oaks (Hilton Head, SC) Her true JOY: Her 8 GRANDS - Shannon & Dave Amann, Ben &
Hannah Parkhurst, & Lindsey Parkhurst, Harrison & Julie Hale, Bethany & Ben Kaseman,
Josiah & Evie Parkhurst, Becca Parkhurst, Mel Rodriguez & Matthew Parkhurst & Daniel Lee.
Dotty adored babies & loved her 10 great GRANDS-Isaac, Zoe & Miles Amann, Hayden &
Josie Parkhurst and Heath, Erin, Ellora, Hanna, & Caroline Hale; all were her joy! Great
Grandmother Dotty got to hold & feed Miles Amann in 2021 & met in hospice, Caroline Hale,
the youngest of the great GRANDS in 2022. In September 2018 Dotty & Jud moved to
Columbus, Oh; where they lived in an assisted living apartment at WillowBrook Christian Home.
There she continued her missions volunteer work, attended Bible study, attended church,
quilting, crafts, built award winning doll houses, played in bell choir concerts, sang in hymn
sings, gave cooking lessons where she demonstrated baking in a kitchen show and made her
famous "Fruit Cake"! She will be greatly missed by her family. who adore her with all of their
hearts.“We know that we can’t have you any longer, but we’re happy knowing that the angels
have finally taken you to your heavenly eternal home with Jesus. We celebrate you, a wonderful
Godly woman and a beautiful servant to the LORD & us.”
Services will be held Friday, February 10, 2023, Tobias Funeral Beavercreek Chapel, 3970
Dayton Xenia Rd, Beavercreek, OH 45432, 937.427.1361, Visitation: 2-3pm with a Celebration
of Life at 3pm.
Dotty will be buried privately, Monday February 13, 2023 at 1pm. in Valley View Memorial Cemetery, 170 N. Valley Road Xenia OH, (Take 675 to Xenia 35 East, exit right onto N. Valley Road) alongside
her husband, Judson Parkhurst and his brothers, Ira Parkhurst & Arthur Parkhurst.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.tobias-fh.com for the Parkhurst family.
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