Dorothy Wallace

Augusta, GA – Mrs. Dorothy (Dot) Mildred McKeown Wallace went from a rich and rewarding earthly existence for 92 years to an eternal life in Heaven on November 20, 2019, at Augusta University Medical Center. She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Earleen Cox & husband William Michael (Mike) Cox, her other daughter, Patricia (Patsy) Dianne Wallace, and her nieces and nephews from the McKeown and Wallace families. Dot was a wonderful mother and friend to her daughters. She taught them to love God and family, work hard, and care about others through her example.

Dot was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Earl Wallace (born in Millen, Georgia); her parents, Joseph Allen McKeown and Mary Allen Boyd McKeown; her brothers - Julian, Emmett (Bubba), John Allen, and Harry; and her sisters - Catherine (Braid), May (Overby), and Helen (Williams).

Dot’s parents operated the family business, McKeown’s Florist (in Augusta’s Old Town Historic District), which was established in the late 1800s, operated by her mother after the death of her father in the early 1930’s, and subsequently operated by her older sister, Catherine, through 2008.

A lifelong resident of Augusta, Dot attended Houghton Elementary School and graduated from Tubman High School for girls. She worked at Friedman Jewelers while still in high school, later became a bookkeeper and worked for about 40 more years at various businesses, including Royal Crown Bottling Company and Augusta Dry Goods.

Dot attended Saint James United Methodist Church as a child. She subsequently was a member of Calvary Baptist Church for over 60 years. She led Girl’s Auxiliary groups, taught the former Good News Sunday School Class for over 25 years, made program arrangements for the “Keenagers” senior adult events, served on finance, pastor search, and other committees, and regularly visited elderly, home-bound or non-residential members. Her commitment to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was demonstrated in every aspect of her life, and not bound by the walls of her church.

Following retirement, Dot was a volunteer at University Hospital for over 15 years. She pushed a cart, stopping in patient rooms and visitor waiting areas, distributing newspapers and magazines. She knew when someone needed more than reading material. She would try to provide encouragement, if she could, or just simply take time to listen to them, or hand them a copy of a devotional magazine, article or scripture reference, or poem that had been significant to her.

With more than a family heritage of flowers, Dot was born “with potting soil in her tiny hands.” She planted flowers every year and had even purchased pansies to plant for the coming winter. She would multi-purpose her “outdoor” four-wheel walker to get her to her flower bed, use the basket to carry gloves and garden tools, use the seat to carry plants on and then sit on to reach down to the dirt. Dot was a member of The Orchid Society of Aiken and Augusta. She would spend several hours a day in her greenhouse on sunny winter afternoons, taking care of her orchids. On Sunday, November 11th, Dot and her daughter, Earleen, relocated over 50 plants from their warm weather racks in the yard to greenhouse shelves and hangers. What a pleasant afternoon for them both.

Dot was a two-time breast cancer survivor, who had triple-by-pass heart surgery and extensive spinal fusion and needed a walker to take more than a couple of steps. A week before her death, Dot was still able to drive her car, get the walker out of the car on her own, become a friend to neighborhood kids, take candy with her to give to receptionists at doctors’ offices and devotional literature to leave behind in waiting rooms, send birthday cards to friends, keep up with current events, and study the Bible. She was blessed by God and a blessing to others.

Funeral services will be held Monday, November 25, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. at Thomas Poteet & Son Chapel with Rev. Toby Rowell officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Honorary Pallbearers will include members of her Good News Sunday School Class, Buddy Braid, Ray Williams, Jim Overby, Ralph and Hazel Guy.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Augusta Rescue Mission: 526 Walker St. Augusta, GA 30901.

The family will receive friends Monday, one hour prior to the service at Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com