Ms. Deloris T. Dozier

On September 27, 2026, God, in His infinite wisdom, called His servant, Deloris Tonkins Dozier, home. She passed peacefully in her sleep at the age of 90.

Deloris was born on her grandfather’s farm in Guilford County, North Carolina, on September 8, 1936, to James William Tonkins, Sr., and Catherine Glover Tonkins. She grew up on the family farm until it was sold, after which the family moved to Marytown, a nearby community in Guilford County.

Deloris was an outstanding elementary school student and continued to excel at Dudley High School, where she was a masterful debater who helped her team earn several trophies and accolades. She attended Bennett College, earning her undergraduate degree in psychology in 1958. She then pursued graduate studies at Howard University, where she earned a master’s degree in psychology in 1964. While attending graduate school, she met Ronald Eugene Dozier, whom she later married. Their union was blessed with two sons, Colin Stuart Dozier and Alan Lester Dozier.

Deloris pivoted from behavioral psychology and accepted a position at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she soon became a senior Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) coordinator. She helped people of color obtain jobs in housekeeping and food services, while assisting others whose secretarial or management skills opened doors to higher-paying positions and higher grades. She worked in the EEO for ten years before continuing her career in other functions of the NIH.

She became a lead research analyst and technical writer in the Division of Management Policy, where she conducted numerous studies focused on streamlining and improving operations throughout the NIH and other government agencies. Deloris enjoyed this work immensely as it gave her a particular sense of satisfaction; she received numerous accolades from her peers and won many awards. She retired in 1996.

In retirement, Deloris cherished staying in touch with her Bennett sisters. One of her crowning achievements was helping to research, compile, and write a complete history of Celia Phelps Memorial United Methodist Church, which she completed in 2003. She also enjoyed numerous trips with her sister, Margaret, and her friends, Levon Yahn and Beth Dobson. In her later years, she enjoyed countless conversations with some of her favorite cousins, Elzora Holland, Brenda Miller, and Robert Russell.

Deloris was preceded in death by her father, James William Tonkins, Sr.; her mother, Catherine Glover Tonkins; her brothers, James William Tonkins, Jr., and Isaac Tonkins; and her sister, Mary Catherine Tonkins Mills.

She is survived by her eldest sister, Margaret Tonkins Strothers; her sons, Colin Dozier and Alan Dozier; her grandchildren, Donnee Dozier, Sharmaine Peterson, Jalil Dozier, Daren Dozier, Sequoia Dozier, Joshua Miller, and Trenton Taylor; and her great-grandchildren she doted over, Michael Reinburg, Alayla Dozier, Blythe Basden, Dorian Basden, and Alexios Dozier. She also leaves a host of cousins, nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.