Obituary of Ray Dwight Dotson

Funeral Services for Ray Dwight Dotson of Elsberry, MO will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 18, 2019 at the Elsberry United Methodist Church.  Rev. Conrad Cheatham, pastor of the Elsberry ARPresbyterian Church, will officiate with burial in the Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry.  Serving as pallbearers will be Matt Hartley, Michael Hartley, Ronnie Moss, Kevin Dotson, Derek Dotson and Adrian Fakes; and honorary pallbearers, Pat Fakes, Dennis Bearden, Rob Fields, Josh Redd, Marty Davenport, Jamie Burkemper, Kenny Martin and Terry Clark.

Mr. Dotson, 93, passed away Saturday evening, April 13, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, MO.  Born February 15, 1926 in Oregon County near Alton, MO, he was the son of Andrew Claude and Viola Pearl Woods Dotson.  Ray was united in marriage on May 30, 1946 in Salem, AR to Darlene Statey Hardin.  This union was blessed with four children: Carol, Judy, Danny and Kathy.  He served his country during World War II in the United States Navy from April 25, 1944 until he was honorably discharged on March 13, 1946 as a Water Tender Third Class.  He proudly served on the USS Clemson and the USS Missoula in the Pacific Theater. 

Ray owned and operated Dotson Construction Co. in St. Charles County for many years, retiring in 1988.  His was one of the first Union residential construction firms in St. Charles County.  He was a member of Carpenter’s Local #1987 in St. Charles.  Ray brought the first girls softball league to St. Charles County so Carol and Judy could play softball.  He was a longtime member of the Elsberry American Legion Post #226.  Ray was a member of the Elsberry ARPresbyterian Church.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Viola Dotson; two brothers: Adrian Dotson and Hugh Dotson; two sisters: Shirley Uzzell and her husband, Emery, and Sylvia Morris and her husband, Chester; two brothers-in-law: Joe Wallace and Don Johnson; and one grandson, P.J. Fakes.
 

Survivors include his beloved wife of nearly almost 73 years, Darlene Dotson of Elsberry; their children: Carol Moss and her husband, Ron, of Troy, MO, Judy Hartley of Elsberry, Danny Dotson of Elsberry, and Kathy Fakes and her husband, Pat, of Elsberry; fourteen grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and several great, great grandchildren.  Ray also leaves two sisters, Evelyn Wallace of West Plains, MO and Joanne Johnson of Springfield, MO; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry.  Memorials may be made to the Elsberry ARPresbyterian Church (or) the Central Missouri Honor Flight in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.