Elaine Anthony Pounds Dooley

Funeral services for Mrs. Dooley, age 99, will be held at 1PM, preceded by visitation at noon, on Monday, March 20th at George A. Smith and Sons Funeral Home, 2812 N Highland with Reverend Dan Camp officiating. Interment will follow in Ridgecrest Cemetery.

Elaine passed away at home on March 16, 2017, eleven days after celebrating her 99th birthday. Born on March 5th, 1918 in Henning, TN, to Charles Mac Anthony and Ola Keaton Anthony, she enjoyed a loving childhood raised with her three sisters and extended family. After graduating with honors from Ripley High School, Elaine attended Southwestern College (now Rhodes) where she was a Chi Omega and was third in her class. She transferred to Randolph Macon College for Women and graduated in 1939, returning home to teach at Ripley Grammar School. She married Charles O. Pounds in 1942 and lived in Jackson, TN, where they raised their children Charles and Jean. A member of FUMC for 70 years, Elaine was a member of the Dick Nunn Sunday School Class, choir, Women’s Society and was a Circle leader and taught children’s Sunday school. She also was a volunteer at the hospital. She participated in her children’s activities as a Girl Scout Leader, PTA president, and a Mother of Theta Tau chapter of DBS, attending the national convention as a chaperone and hosting rush parties at her home. Until recent years she played bridge in several clubs with friends from early years in Jackson. Following Charlie’s death in 1971, Elaine continued enjoying church activities, spending time with her family, caring for her grandchildren, and traveling. In 1978, Elaine married Devon Dooley. They enjoyed life playing golf and traveling all over the world, especially enjoying the many cruises, until his death in 2006. She enjoyed collecting bird figurines from their travels.

Elaine leaves behind her children Charles O. Pounds (Melonie), Jean Pounds Cox (Don); Devon’s children Pat Dooley Whitmore (Richard) and Elizabeth Dooley Clow, and honorary son Mitch Carter. She leaves behind her grandchildren Lisa Pounds Byrnes (William), Jeff Pounds, and David Thurmond (Maria), Angie Wagner (Clint), Randall Whitmore (April), Wade Whitmore (Julie), Martha Rothschild (Richard) and 10 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her sister Jean Anthony Williamson; nephew Charles A. “Sonny” Anthony; niece Rachel Sanford; kind caregivers from Home Instead and Hospice; and many others, too many to name, who will remember her warmth, graciousness, intelligence and beauty. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials sent to FUMC or to the charity of your choice.