KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA
Dorothy Hooks McDuffie peacefully transformed from this life to the life eternal on Tuesday morning, November 7, 2017 at Sanctuary Hospice House. “Miss Dot”, as she was affectionately called by her many friends, was born in Lakeland, Florida on August 3, l925 to the late T. J. Hooks and Marguerite Keith Hooks. She grew up in Lakeland and attended Oglethorpe College in Atlanta, Georgia where she studied music and met S. Jay McDuffie, a medical student from Nettleton. After his graduation from Medical School, they married on April 6, l944 in Jackson, Mississippi and made their home in Nettleton the rest of their lives. She will long be remembered as the Public School Music Teacher in Nettleton Public Schools for over 40 years as well as a private piano teacher. An accomplished pianist and organist, Miss Dot touched thousands of lives with her talents. She was the pianist, organist and choir director at the Nettleton Presbyterian Church for over 60 years. A longtime member of the Parnassas Club and the Northeast Miss. Medical Auxiliary, she and Dr. McDuffie were treasured citizens in Nettleton and docents of the arts, music and theatre. A grateful family and extended community will long remember this kind and gentle soul with extraordinary gratitude.
A service celebrating her life will be held at 3 PM in the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Rev. Ron Richardson and Rev. Wil Howie officiating. Private burial will follow in the McDuffie Family Plot at Nettleton Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:30 PM-service time on Thursday only at Holland-Tupelo Chapel, which is honored to be serving their friends.
Survivors include her daughter, Margaret McDuffie Gratz and husband, Mike of Tupelo; her son, Richard Jay McDuffie of Tupelo; her grandchildren, Michael B. Gratz, Jr. (Mary Margaret) and Mollie McDuffie Gratz and Frederick Jason McDuffie (Melissa) all of Tupelo and Samuel Joseph McDuffie (Katie) of Amory; nine great grandchildren, Charlie Gratz, Lucy Gratz and Michael B. Gratz, III, Owen McDuffie, Eli McDuffie, Maris McDuffie, Joey McDuffie, Carter McDuffie and Emma McDuffie. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dr. S. Jay McDuffie, her daughter, Kathryn Elizabeth “Kay” McDuffie and a sister, Anna Margaret Friedt.
Memorials may be made to the Nettleton Presbyterian Church, c/o Billy Cheek, 30007 Butler Road, Nettleton, MS. 38858 or to Living Waters of the World, 5016 Spedale Ct., #399, Spring Hill, Tennessee
