Laurie Lester Dozier Jr.

Laurie L. Dozier, Jr., 85, a child of Leon County, whose parents Laurie L. Dozier, Sr. and Mary Brown were children of central Georgia, passed away Tuesday evening surrounded by his family.

Although a world traveler who explored all seven continents, often with family and friends in tow, Laurie loved this part of the world above all. A fun-loving 1944 graduate of Leon High (Dopey Dozier in his senior year annual), Laurie joined the Navy, attended the University of Florida, came home and married Sarah Marie Simmons, the daughter of Jack and Sarah Simmons, and went to work at Jack's business, Elberta Crate and Box Co.

A mischievous, so-so student in his revered housemother Joree McFarlin's SAE house, Laurie was urged on at a poker game (one of his glorious pastimes) by his childhood friend, Dr. John Sullenburger, to consider a career in medicine. In 1950 Laurie applied for and aced an interview at Duke University's med school and, after a few remedial courses, "put on the afterburners."

Thereafter, Laurie preached the value of a solid education. The names of Laurie's teachers at Duke and Emory are legend in his home and among his friends. As Laurie's first grandchild approached high school graduation, he announced that he would begin the Granddaddy College Scholarship Program. If a grandchild made above a 3.0 GPA for a specific semester, he would award them an amount equal to the tuition for that term.

Laurie excelled in what was becoming the family business--medicine. In the early 1960s Laurie shared offices at the corner of Miccosukee and Magnolia with his father, who began practicing medicine in Tallahassee in the 1920s, and his younger brother, Dr. Richard Dozier. Beloved by his patients, Laurie L. Dozier, Jr. MD was extremely proud to be a Medical Doctor and imbued his family with this appreciation. His daughter, Sarah Sherraden (married to Endocrinologist Dr. Terry Sherraden), was a practicing nurse and a health care administrator before she joined the founding staff at the FSU College of Medicine. Laurie's son, Dr. John Dozier (married to former hospice nurse Martha), is a Periodontist, and they are the parents of Dr. Carey Dozier (whose wife Tracy is a physician as well).

While Laurie treasured education and loved medicine (as exemplified by his significant gifts to FSU's College of Medicine and the TMH Foundation), his mind never rested and he was always looking for an intriguing opportunity. After years of failures (i.e. Flying Lawnmowers and Power Mirrors) and middling successes (land development), Laurie found his Holy Grail . . . Automatic Gate Openers. As a major investor and Chairman of the Board of GTO, a local manufacturing firm, he enjoyed years of thrills as he worked with Chuck Mitchell to save, and then build, GTO into a significant business.

However, above all these, Laurie's love and affection for family and friends . . . and their love for him . . . and Laurie's delight in, and great respect for, strangers of every make and model . . ., this is what everyone who knew Laurie will remember most . . . and without a doubt, they will remember that he consistently brought to life even the dullest of occasions. As has been said of him, "When Laurie joins a crowd it becomes a party. When he attends a meeting, it becomes a debate."

After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2003, Laurie and his wife of 25 years, the wonderfully vibrant Margaret Zygmuntowicz, continued their travels until Margaret's passing. For the last few years it has been Laurie's great fortune to have enjoyed the companionship of lifelong friend Kimmie Croy, including a trip to Europe that found Laurie in the nose of a glider soaring above the valleys of Switzerland with Margaret's son Mike Flood.

Laurie was able to remain at home in large measure because of his wonderful caregivers Diane Shaheen and Magdalena Toro, the incredibly calming attention of so many from Big Bend Hospice and the wisdom and care of Dr. Jesse Judelle. We should all be so lucky as to have such special people in our lives.

Laurie's loving family includes; his brother Richard (Linda); his children Laurie III (Kelly), Sarah Sherraden (Terry), John Dozier (Martha), Debbie Blinderman (Richard), Michael Flood, Kelly Flood (Neil), Tim Flood (deceased); and his grandchildren, Kristin Dozier, Vanessa Rowse (Scott), Danielle Dozier, Chris Sherraden, Dan Sherraden, Andrew Sherraden, Carey Dozier (Tracy), Julian Dozier (Casey), Mike Earp, Joe Earp (Bobbie), Kelly Earp, Anyshia Blinderman-Garcia (Henry), Adam Blinderman, Callie Flood, Jake Flood, Zach Flood, Evan Chethik, Tanya Rathmann (Mike) and Liam Flood; and his great-grandchildren, Ian Blinderman-Garcia, Jo Jo Earp, Callie Rowse and Jackson Rowse, and his god-son Paul Hill (Mollie).

All the family join together in announcing a gathering to be held at The Florida State University College of Medicine Auditorium in appreciation of Laurie L. Dozier, Jr.'s wonderful life. The gathering will begin at Twelve Noon, Friday, March 9th, at 1115 West Call Street (corner of Stadium Drive and West Call Street) (32306). Parking available, as students are on spring break.

Friends may remember Laurie L. Dozier, Jr. MD with a contribution to the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation or the Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House (Big Bend Hospice) and ...with one, long-winded, heartfelt:

Goooooooooooooooo Gaaatorsssssssssssssss!!!

Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Tallahassee, FL.