Dena D. Lancashire

Dena Doughty Lancashire, 102, of Winter Haven, Florida, passed peacefully into eternal life May 26, 2023. Dena was born July 29, 1920 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, seventh of nine children born to Bruce and Hazie Malinda Doughty.

When Dena was 14, the family moved to Columbus, Mississippi, where Dena graduated from Lee County High School and married her high school sweetheart, Robert Sterling Hearon., who died at Anzio, Italy during WW II. Dena worked as a department store manager and buyer and later as a dental assistant while raising her young son, Robert Sterling Hearon. When Sterling was nine, she met and married Robert F. Lancashire and moved to Lakeland, Florida, where her two daughters, Merry Cerena and Melinda Caroline, were born, and in 1956 moved to Winter Haven, Florida.

A faithful member of First Presbyterian Church of Winter Haven since 1957, Dena served as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, home visitor, fellowship committee chair, and Presbyteers social chair. She was an active member of Lydia Prayer Circle and an officer of Presbyterian Women. Dena was a dedicated member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood for 69 years, belonging to Chapter AW in Lakeland and Chapter BN in Winter Haven, and serving in several offices. She worked at the ophthalmology offices of Dr. Howard Lucas and Dr. Richard Copenhaver for 19 years. After the loss of her husband and her retirement, Dena continued to serve her church and P.E.O. chapter, volunteer at Winter Haven Hospital, while also helping to care for her grandchildren, Steven Hearon and Dena Eloshway Groover.

She is preceded in death by husbands Robert Sterling Hearon and Robert F. Lancashire, son Robert Sterling Hearon, parents Bruce and Hazie Doughty, three brothers, Orus, William and John Henry Doughty; four sisters, Rochelle "Sister" Hamner, Brucie Hinton, Mary Nell Vail of Pensacola, Fla., and Alice McGahey.

She is survived with loving memories by sister Gene Beaty (Lavert) of Columbus, Mississippi, daughters Merry Stewart Borowski (Peter), Melinda L. Eloshway (Timothy), daughter-in-law T.J. Coburn, grandson Steven A. Hearon (Rebecca), granddaughter Dena Eloshway Groover (Malachi), and beloved great-grandchildren.

Above all, Dena loved her God, family and friends with a giving and thankful heart. Her life was built around loving and serving others. She often visited her siblings and their families, attending weddings of nieces and nephews in Washington, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama. After her health required her to remain mostly at home, she stayed in touch with her family and friends all over the country by telephone, Facetime and Zoom. Her abiding love and concern for each brought great joy to her days.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Winter Haven, Florida, https://www.firstpreswh.org , the P.E.O. Sisterhood or Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823, www.chaptershealth.org/hospice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Ott-Laughlin.com for the Lancashire family.

The Memorial Services will occur at First Presbyterian Church of Winter Haven, Florida on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at 11:00 AM.