Dorothy Fisher McGee

Born in Clinton, NC, on March 26, 1932, Dot was the eldest of five children and made a lifelong habit of doing things with purpose - and just enough bossiness to keep everyone on track. She graduated as salutatorian of her Fayetteville High School class, went on to earn her degree from Woman’s College (now UNC-Greensboro) in 1954, and married the love of her life, Larry McGee, in 1956.

A devoted wife, mother, teacher, and diehard NC State fan, Dot lived with heart, humor, and plenty of opinions. She raised two sons, David and Greg, with a firm hand and a loving heart, guiding them with her steady presence and deep devotion. Dot spent years shaping young minds as a beloved fourth-grade teacher at Frances Lacy Elementary School in Raleigh, and later turned her energy toward protecting the place closest to her heart: the North Carolina coast. Her long and dedicated service to the NC Coastal Federation could have earned her the title of “Protector of the Coast,” though she’d probably have preferred “Queen of Bogue Sound.”

Dot was a faithful member of Highland United Methodist Church, where she attended her Sunday School group - the self-dubbed “Heretics” - a name that reflected not rebellion, but curiosity, humility, and joy in the journey of faith. While she was known to cheer for NC State (her husband’s alma mater) and held football season tickets for many years, Dot’s passions ran deeper than the game - focusing more on the gathering of friends and family than the scoreboard. When Larry retired, she delighted in traveling the country in support of his amateur tennis career, always cheering him on from the sidelines with quiet pride and unfailing encouragement. Dot herself would tell you that her most important job - and the one she did best - was being Larry’s biggest fan and the loving matriarch of their family.

Her legacy lives on in her sons, David McGee and Greg (Andi) McGee; her granddaughters, Alex (Jim) Skelton, Mollie McGee, and Kellie McGee; her great-granddaughter, Magnolia Skelton; and her siblings, Betty Johnston, Evelyn Hart, and Harold (Mary Lee) Fisher. She is reunited in peace with her husband, Larry McGee, and her brother, Jimmy Fisher.

In her final years, Dot found her greatest joy in visits from family and friends. Her wisdom and generous heart will live on in every story shared over a good meal, a tailgate tent, or a coastal breeze. A life well-lived, and a heart well-loved.

At a private family service later this summer, Dot’s ashes will be scattered in Bogue Sound alongside her beloved Larry—returning together to the waters they both loved so much.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Dot’s memory to the North Carolina Coastal Federation, preserving the places she held dear, by using the link below, under 'Donations'.

If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of Dot, or a message of condolence for her family, you may do so below, within 'Add a Memory'.