Dorothy "Dot" Faye Cheek

Dorothy (Dot) Cheek, 80, of Calera, Alabama, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by family on April 18th, 2025. She was born in McCalla, Alabama, on August 24, 1944. She was married to Jim Cheek on December 5th, 1961. They spent 65 wonderful years together and were married for 63 1/2 of them.

Dot graduated from McAdory High School in 1961. After starting a family, she went back to school and received her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and then her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dot spent the first year of her career teaching first grade at Oak Grove Elementary. She continued her years in the school system as a Librarian at Pleasant Grove Elementary, McAdory Elementary, and then finished her 25 years of service at Fultondale Elementary, retiring in 2004.

Dot was a member of the First Baptist Church of Panama City, Florida. While she loved living at the beach, they moved back to Alabama in 2019 to be closer to family. Dot was always a very compassionate and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She loved to go shopping and traveling. Throughout her life, she was also passionate about reading and could often be found instilling that love in one of her many grandkids.

She was preceded in death by her father, William B. Kitchens Sr., her mother, Lester Carlee Kitchens, her son, Phillip D. Cheek, 5 brothers, and 1 sister. She is survived by her husband Jim, son Jeff (Andrea), daughter-in-law Rocki, sister Louise Kitchens Anderson, grandchildren Chloe (Matt), Jessica, Madison (Blake), Marissa (Cole), Zachary, and many great-grandchildren, as well as a host of other beloved family and friends.

The celebration of Dot’s life will be held on Thursday, April 24th, with visitation starting at 10 AM at Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham, with a service to follow at 12:00 pm in the chapel. A graveside service will follow at the National Cemetery in Montevallo. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UAB School of Education.