Dorothy I. Fletcher

Dorothy, known as Dot by her friends and DeeDee by her grandchildren and great grandchildren, was born May 31, 1929, in Birmingham, to the late Thomas Young Phelon Tidwell, a decorated WWI veteran awarded a Silver Star to be worn with the Croix De Guerre, and his wife, Ethel McKay Tidwell.

Dot attended Birmingham Southern College where she later established a music scholarship, The Dorothy T. Ireland scholarship for voice majors.

Dot was a voracious reader, reading a book a week and a world traveler especially enjoying her time spent in Italy on many occasions. Dot was also proudly an Alabama female skeet shooting champion.

Dot was an active philanthropist and supported many organizations, but she especially enjoyed her association with The Garden Club of America where she served in many leadership positions. She was also a longtime active member of Independent Presbyterian Church.

For years Dot spent her summers on Grandfather Mountain and later at Cashiers, NC where she made lifelong friends, but her joy was relaxing with her cousins and best friends, Glenn and Mallie Moughon Ireland.

She was a member of Mountain Brook Club and The Country Club of Birmingham. Until recent weeks she enjoyed her Friday night outings with friends for dinner at Mountain Brook Club. Many in this group were also her lifelong Bridge partners a game in which she delighted.

Dot was predeceased by her parents, her husbands, William Comer Ireland, and Walter Sinclair Fletcher and her stepson William Comer Ireland, Jr. “Bud” and her stepdaughter, Leslie Ireland Agee. She was also predeceased by her brothers, Thomas Young Tidwell, Jr and Robert Lee Tidwell, neither of whom survived to adulthood.

She is survived by her granddaughters and their children, Comer Ireland Aebersold and her husband, Brandon and daughters, Caroline, and Catherine of Atlanta; Virginia Agee Speirs and her husband Garrett and their children, Siena and Benjamin of Santa Ynez, CA and her grandson, Rucker Agee of Birmingham as well as her adored nieces and their families, Kacy Ireland Mitchell (Guy), Mallie Ireland Dansby (Stewart) and Nonie Ireland Brown (Tom).

She is also survived by her special friends: Jane Tolleson, Carlos Staples, and Julie Feirman.

A special thank you to Dot’s caregivers: Stephanie House, Geraldine Rice, Joy Green, and Bobbie Chetham and to Affinity Hospice.

A graveside service will be held at Elmwood Cemetery on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 11:00 am. A reception will follow at Mountain Brook Club.

Donations may be made to: UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center an organization which was dear to her heart and one she generously supported. You may make a gift in her memory or in honor of her dear friend, Kitty Moughon Robinson. You may also donate in her memory to The Garden Club of America or a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Fletcher family.