Dorris B McBride

Dorris was a 1956 graduate of Red Bank High School, and a 1960 graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with degrees in both Education and Natural Sciences. In 1994, she earned her Master’s Degree in Education at UTK. She began her career as a High School Science Teacher, working briefly in Atlanta Public Schools, before moving back to Chattanooga to work at Boyd Buchanan School. Then in the late 1960s, she opened a bridal boutique (along with her first husband, James G. Hall and her mother-in-law Annabel Gothard Hall). The name of the store was “Heart’s Desire” and it was located in Downtown Chattanooga. She hired a deaf seamstress, and was extremely frustrated that she couldn’t communicate with her. So in the Fall of 1973, Dorris decided to start learning American Sign Language, which took her career path in a whole new direction. She eventually closed the dress shop, choosing to focus her energy on being a full-time Certified Sign Language Interpreter for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Dorris served her community in many meaningful ways. She was a Coordinator at Services for the Deaf in Chattanooga, she was a Volunteer Board Member for the Chattanooga Brain Injury Association, she was an advocate, counselor and volunteer at Tennessee Council for the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing, and she also taught sign-language courses all over the State of Tennessee, helping others begin their careers as interpreters. Dorris also served the Central Church of Christ for 14 years as an interpreter for the deaf. She eventually retired from the State of Tennessee, working primarily as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Specialist on the campus of Tennessee School for the Deaf. During her time working for the State and at TSD, Dorris helped hundreds of deaf, blind and other handicapped people go to college and find good paying jobs.

Dorris was preceded in death by her parents Taylor and Jewel Bilbrey Blair, and her husband of 41 years Samuel W. McBride. She is survived by their children, James Blair Hall, of Seattle, Washington, Jeffrey Hollis (Julia) Hall, of Signal Mountain, TN, Jeremy Taylor (Chris) Hall, of Knoxville, TN, Jacob Patrick Hall, of Chattanooga, Alice McBride Lowe, of Knoxville, TN, Margaret Ann McBride White, of Clinton, TN, Amy McBride of Sarasota, FL, Grace McBride, of Clinton, TN, her step-mother, Bonnie Blair, of Collierville, TN, sisters, Nancy Blair (John) Bonk, of Collierville, TN, Ann Blair (Robert) Blackwell, of Collierville, TN, 7 grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted from the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home at 10:30 AM on Saturday, October 1, 2022 with Ministers Johnny Owens and David Schonhoff officiating. Interment will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Friday evening on September 30, 2022, and on Saturday prior to the service from 9:30 AM until 10:30 AM at North Chapel.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Knoxville Center of the Deaf, 3731 Martin Mill Pike, Knoxville, TN 37920, Services for the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing, 5600 Brainerd Rd, Suite E-1, Eastgate Towne Center, Chattanooga, TN 37411, or Central Church of Christ, 400 Vine Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403.

Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory, and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.

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