Dorothymae Taylor Barnes, age 83, a native of Knapp, Wis., and a resident of Orange Beach, for 20 years, passed on to be with the Lord on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013.
A classic beauty of the 1940’s, at age 18 Dorothy married her 20 year old sailor, Lee. In love and devotion, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on October 15, 2012. She is survived by her husband, William Lee Barnes; devoted daughters, Beverly Jean Rayfield of Sarasota, and Janice Mae (Dwight) Howard of Niceville, Fla; and Sharon (Chris) Rhodes of Mobile; sons, Ronald Lee (Susan) Barnes and Richard William (Therese) Barnes of Orange Beach; sister, Patricia Lawrence of Rodgers, Ark; brother, Dan (Ellie)Taylor of Painesville, Ohio; her loving sisters-in-law, Alice Mae Mobley and Delorias (Wilburn) Ingram, both of Montgomery; nine grandsons; and seven great- grandchildren. The Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, 2013 at St. Thomas by the Sea Catholic Church in Orange Beach. Visitation will be at the church from 12 p.m. until time of service. Interment will follow at Pine Rest Memorial Park in Foley. A reception and celebration of Dorothy’s life will follow interment at St. Thomas by the Sea Catholic Church. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Michael Barnes, Stephen Barnes, Ryan Robinson, Brad Robinson, Jamison Rayfield, William Young, Richard Barnes, Thomas Barnes, and Ethan Barnes. Dorothy, known as Dot, Grammie, Aunt Dot, and Dottie-Baby enjoyed being with her camping club The Dixie Ramblers, boating, sewing, fishing, gardening, traveling, and her kids and extended family. She served as treasurer for the Orange Beach Community Center, taught line dancing and water aerobics, and loved to attend Mardi Gras balls in Mobile. She loved polka music, playing the accordion and her brother-in-law’s jokes. She and her husband Lee have owned Sunset Mobile Home Park in Orange Beach for 32 years. She was a “great lady” of the Greatest Generation who delighted that all five of her children attended college, and many of her grandsons were scholastic honors students with graduate degrees as diverse as engineering, law, aerospace, information technology, international political science. The family suggests memorial contributions in the name of Dorothymae Barnes to the St. Thomas by the Sea Building Fund, 26547 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach, AL 36561, or the Alzheimer Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY. A special thanks to Dr. Kevin Hurson, MD, her physician who delivered extraordinary medical care; and her special caregivers, Peggy, Deidi, Julie, and Kasandra. Arrangements by Pine Rest Funeral Home.
