Dot was born on October 9, 1924 in Durham, NC to Hubert and Clarene Harward. She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband, Benjamin Martin, her siblings, Brooks Harward and Margaret Gouger, and son-in-law, Donald Kreger.
She is survived by her special friend, John Smithers, with whom she spent 18 wonderful years, her three children, Nancy Kelly and husband, John; Kay Elrod and husband, Lake; Doug Manning and wife, Allison. She is also survived by her grandchildren: James Conklin and wife, Angie; Robin Conklin and husband, Erik Sugg; Jane Elrod and partner, Carly Venick; Kelly Martin, Nicki Hucks, and Jordan Manning. She is great-grandmother to Jack Hucks.
Dot grew up in Durham, NC and attended Durham High School. After high school, she married and raised her children in Durham, NC, Atlanta, GA, Ann Arbor, MI, Tuscaloosa, AL, and Rock Hill, SC. She moved to Cary, NC in 1984, after her children were grown. She joined the First Baptist Church in Cary soon after her arrival. In 1985, she began working at Ashworth’s Drug Store in downtown Cary, a job in which she took great pride and pleasure. For 24 years, she worked at the lunch counter, making fresh lemonades and vanilla cokes, and truly enjoyed meeting and greeting everyone who walked in the door. Her love of people was remarkable. One of her great passions in life was ballroom dancing. Her grandchildren would often sneak and watch as she practiced her dance moves in the family den, overhearing her repeat, “One, two, cha-cha-cha.” She spent many years filled with wonderful evenings on the dance floor, and even though her dancing days came to an end after a shoulder injury, she remained a dancer at heart. Later in life she enjoyed spending her evenings with a dinner at K&W in Cameron Village, where she had many friends, and watching old movies together with her companion, John. Dot had recently moved into independent living at Woodland Terrace in Cary, NC. Although she lived there for only a brief time, she was truly happy. She enjoyed having dinner with her “special table” of friends and taking her daily walks around the lake.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary, NC. A graveside service will be held the same day at 2:30 p.m. at Maplewood Cemetery in Durham, NC.
The family would like to offer a special thanks to the staff and residents of Woodland Terrace for welcoming her into your lives. To the staff and nurses who cared for her in Wake Med Cary’s Emergency Room, 2 West Step-Down and 2 West ICU, your compassionate care and kindness will not soon be forgotten. We also offer special thanks to Linda, a friend and confidant to Dot for many years.
In lieu of flowers and in appreciation for the Lenten season, the family requests contributions to a charity of your choice to feed the poor and the hungry.
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