Reba Darlene Porter Dotson, 68, of Shady Spring passed away on Wednesday, September 2, 2015, surrounded by her family. Born in Princeton on November 3, 1946, she was the only child of the late Ray Rifford and Herma Delaurice Stoots Porter. Darlene was a 1964 graduate of Princeton High School, and attended Mountain State University and Concord University, to which she received a full scholarship from Betty Crocker to attend. While in college, Darlene majored in Graphic Design and studied humanities and science, eventually earning her degree in Liberal Arts. She was an amazing homemaker and a very crafty woman, spending her time sewing, doing art projects, and upholstering. Darlene loved music and enjoyed playing the piano, having played the piano for her church for a number of years. She was a good, Christian woman of the Baptist Faith, and was a member of White Oak Missionary Baptist Church. She spent her free time reading, watching Jeopardy, and researching genealogy, which she was very passionate about. Most of all, Darlene loved her family, and especially enjoyed her camping trips at the family camp on The Greenbrier River. In addition to her parents, Darlene was preceded in death by her husband of 38 years, Con Ray Dotson. Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Susan Foster and husband, Scott of Richmond, KY; daughter, Melissa Leonard of Cool Ridge; daughter, Jennifer Holley and husband, Mike of Beckley; son, Brian Dotson and wife, Kim of Shady Spring; grandchildren, Derek and Kaitlyn Jordan, Amanda Leonard, Madison and Makenzie Holley, and Hunter and Luke Lively; and one great-grandchild, Ayden Jordan. Services for Darlene will be held at Blue Ridge Funeral Home on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 11am with Rev Cleve Allen officiating. Family will receive friends on Friday evening from 6pm – 9pm at the funeral home. Interment will immediately follow the funeral on Saturday at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton with Brian Dotson, Luke Lively, Mike Holley, Kenny Holley, Derek Jordan, and Scott Foster serving as pallbearers. Darlene’s family would like to extend a special thanks to Tracy Lilly and the staff of Bowers Hospice House in Beckley for their kindness and compassion during this difficult time.
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