Dorothy Dye Primos

It has been said, “What you leave behind is not engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven in the lives of others.” Dorothy Dye Gober Primos did a lot of weaving in her life. Her intricate and beautiful tapestry included people from every walk of life.

Over her lifetime, Dot touched many lives. She provided shelter for the homeless, which even included a breakfast tray. She taped money to her garbage cans for the trash men. She reached out to people in prison and was always the champion for the underdog. Store clerks from the dollar stores to McDade’s or Piggly Wiggly all knew her name. She would meet people at Piccadilly and invite them to stay in her home. She believed that “to whom much is given, much is required” and “cast your bread upon the water, and it comes back buttered.” She never missed an opportunity to help those in need. Prince or pauper, bishop or beggar, she loved and cared for all. She firmly believed, “if ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Her great sense of humor and her stories (and all of them true!) entertained wherever she went. Even at the beauty shop, when she fell and broke her hip, she refused to leave until they put highlights in her hair.

Her greatest joys in life were being a mother, a caregiver and a homemaker. Everything in her house, from the tiniest butter knife to the largest piece of furniture, had a story, and now, oh how we wished we had listened to all those stories!

Dot wasn’t afraid of many things, but she didn’t like tornados. Some favorite memories occurred when she would pile all the grandchildren into her storm shelter and feed them Milky Ways until the storm passed.

As a preacher’s daughter herself, she found herself married to a preacher, Rev. William T. Gober. Dot served dutifully as a Methodist preacher’s wife at Leavell Woods, Galloway and Christ (churches in Jackson), as well as West End in Nashville. Moving from parsonage to parsonage, she learned to “bloom where you are planted.” Finally settling down in the Fondren neighborhood, near family and friends, brought her great comfort.

Dot, daughter of Annie Wilson & Melville Dye, was born on January 1, 1932, on the Emory University Campus in Atlanta, where her father attended Theology School. She attended Millsaps College and then returned to Emory for her husband Bill Gober to attend Theology School.

Dot was a volunteer at the Methodist Rehab and a board member of the Millsaps Arts & Lecture Series. She played the piano at Bethlehem Center, taught Sunday School at Galloway Church and was president of the Susannahs in the Mississippi Methodist Church.

Dot died on August 30, 2017, in Corinth, lovingly surrounded by family. A celebration of life will be at Galloway Church on Tuesday, September 5, at 3 o’clock, with visitation in the church parlor beginning at 2 o’clock.

She is survived by her five children, George Gober (Cindy), Brandon; Bill Gober, Jackson; Gail Sweat (John), Jackson; Tom Gober (Amy), Richmond, Virginia; and Maud DeLes Lancaster (Ken), Corinth.

“Mimi” is also survived by ten grandchildren, Renee McGill (Derek), Saltillo; Aimee Rankin (Paul), Jackson; Ashley Koehler (Ben), Fort Collins, CO; Laura Golland (Jesse), Mexico City; Anna Day (JD), Denver, CO; John T. Gober, Corinth; Wynn McCandless (Michael), Corinth; Darrington Ludlam (Lud), Corinth; Elizabeth (Andrew) McIntyre, Oxford; and Neal Lancaster, Oxford. Additionally, she is survived by seven great grandchildren, Sarah, Hannah & Lydia McGill, Asa & Silas Rankin, and Jack & Lucy Koehler.

She was married to Bill Gober for 42 years and spent her later years with the second love of her life, Aleck Primos. Additional survivors are her two brothers, Bob (Jerry Ann) Dye and Tom (Sue) Dye, and cousins Brad Dye, David Dye, Millsaps Dye & Mary DaSha Montgomery. During her time with Aleck, she enjoyed getting to know his large Greek family and especially appreciated the kindness shown to her by Claudia Primos.

The family would like to thank Jamie, Tammy, Lori, Talicia, and our hospice nurse Spring for their loving care near the end. Dot prayed daily for the “peace of God that passes all understanding,” and we are thankful to know that she is now truly at peace. You come into this world crying, and everyone else is full of joy. You leave this world full of joy, while everyone else is crying.

In lieu of flowers, practice random acts of kindness.