She was born on November 7, 1939 in St. Louis, MO, and grew up in Old North St. Louis with her extended family around her in their neighborhood near Salisbury Street. Her parents, M. Wilson (Willie) Holmes and Byrel Holmes (nee Shryock), and three sisters preceded her in death.
In 1960, Dorothy married Leroy Edwards, also of St. Louis, and together they raised two children in central Illinois. Dorothy is survived by those children, Kathy (Edwards) Emmert of Eureka, MO and Sharon (Edwards) Kitterman of Douglas, WY. Four grandchildren also remain to cherish her memory: Keegan and Mackenzie Emmert, and Olivia and Alexandra Kitterman, as do many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
Dorothy was a committed Christian, and a member of various Christian and Baptist churches throughout her life, teaching Sunday School at times and also volunteering in other ways. She was a member of Armington Christian Church in Armington, Illinois for many years.
Her professions included working as a Certified Nursing Assistant, secretary, and medical office technician. After relocating to Oregon in the 1980s, Dorothy earned an Associate of Arts degree from Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, OR in medical office procedures. She later taught coursework in that field to students at Illinois Central Community College after returning to Illinois with her husband and making their home near Peoria, where they had lived as newlyweds. Dorothy retired to Columbia, IL and later to Eureka, MO, where she lived at Marymount Manor Assisted Living and Nursing Home. She also spent several years before her death as a resident of Mountain Plaza Assisted Living in Casper, WY before ultimately returning to her home town of St. Louis, MO.
Donations in her memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org). Additional condolences may be offered online at www.ValhallaGardensandFuneralHome.com.
Visitation: Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturday, December 15, 2018 at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, 3412 Frank Scott Parkway West, Belleville, Illinois, 62223.
Funeral: Services will be held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, December 15, 2018 at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, 3412 Frank Scott Parkway West, Belleville, IL, 62223. Inurnment will be at Valhalla Gardens of Memory following the service.
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