Obituaries

Dorothy Anne Brown Jennings went to be with her Lord just before dawn on Sunday, October 1, 2017. She was a Christian who gave her life to serving the Lord through her savior Jesus Christ at an early age. Raised in the Ellis Creek community, she was a member of Ellis Creek Baptist Church, attended public schools there and graduated from Volens High School in 1943. She was the fifth child of Laura Lee Crews Brown and Robert Estes Brown and was the surviving member of her immediate family of eight children. Dorothy was a dutiful daughter taking well-care of her parents in their aging years. Her one sister, Mattie Elizabeth ”Beth” Brown  passed in the summer of 1942 prior to their senior year at Volens. Her brothers included Estes Clyde(Ileen Crews) Brown, Merritt Clifton(Betty Browne) Brown, Melvin Spurgeon (Dorothy Loftis)Brown, Maynard Lee(Lennie Guill)Brown, George Washington(Betty Davey) Brown, and Robert Samuel Brown. Dorothy is survived by a number of nieces including Patsy Ileen Brown(Hugh) Gravitt and Carol Virginia Brown(Jim) Harding and nephews Kenneth Maynard(Jean Whitlow) Brown, Terry Lynne (Susan) Brown, George Michael(Beverly) Brown, Phillip Brown, Swanson Durell Jennings, George Ray (Nancy) Jennings, and Ronald “Ronnie” David (Judy) Jennings and a host of grand and great nieces and nephews. She was particularly close to her surviving cousins and their families including Riley Brown of Keysville, Dorothy Brooks of Keysville, Kenneth Crews of Nathalie, Tom Crews of South Boston, and JE Newcomb of Randolph. On May 10, 1946, she married her late husband, Irving Thomas Jennings, Sr., and moved her membership to Childrey Baptist Church where she was an active member for 70 years. During her years at Childrey, she sang  soprano in the church choir for 59 years and sang “O Holy Night” at Christmas for over fifty years. Dorothy served faithfully as Director of the Youth Department, Delegate to the Dan River Baptist Association, Teacher for Junior girls in Sunday School and youth in Vacation Bible School, Church Choir Director, and Head of Women’s Missionary Union. She and her husband raised their two sons, Irving Thomas “Tommy” (Pamela Ferguson) Jennings, Jr., and Edward Lawrence “Larry” Jennings on Woodlawn Farm. She was an avid vegetable gardener and was raising vegetables even last summer. She was a strong steward of the land working diligently on the flower gardens, keeping the shrubbery and the grounds. She was well known for many years at Childrey Baptist for her splendid pies, perfectly fried chicken, fresh vegetables from her garden, and her Gherkin pickles. As a wife and mother, she took care of her family well including her grandchildren and great grandchildren whom she was extremely proud of. Tommy’s children include Thomas Robert “Tad” (Lynn Zimmerman) Jennings whose daughters are Lexi, Tori, and Gabi; Kyle Patrick (Cindi Hendricks) Jennings whose son is Patrick and daughter is Paige; and James Timothy “Tim” (Heather) Jennings whose son is Carter. Larry’s children are Olivia Lauren Jennings and Laurel Elizabeth Jennings. Dorothy had a passion for travel and sports. She enjoyed cruising and touring through Europe, England, Scotland, Nova Scotia, Canada, Alaska, and across the United States. As a lover of music, she loved attending Broadway shows with Larry, Olivia, and Laurel as well as attending baseball games in Yankees Stadium. Dorothy believed firmly in service for others. In addition to her church work, she was a member of the “Good Timers” who met once a week at Gladys Recreation Center through the Campbell County Recreation Department. Riding along with her senior singers, Dorothy delightfully entertained by singing solos for residents of nursing homes in Southside and Central Virginia once a week for 32 years.  For over five years in the 80s, Dorothy single-handedly entertained residents of local nursing homes with her own program of devotions and ministry through music. Dorothy truly lived up to the meaning of her name, “Gift of God.” A funeral service will be conducted Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 2:00 pm at Childrey Baptist Church by the Rev. Jerry Stanfield with interment to follow in the church cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 pm, today, October 2 at Henderson Funeral Home and Cemetery Service, Brookneal, VA.