BRIGADIER LANGSTON
Sept. 25, 1915-June 21, 2006
Brigadier Dorothy Langston, a retired Salvation Army Officer, died on Friday.
Born in Goldsboro on September 25, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Colonel and Mrs. John D. Langston. She lived there until World War I took the family to Raleigh and Washington, D.C. for four years.
She graduated from Goldsboro High School in 1932 with honors and as a charter member of the National Honor Society and the Quill and Scroll Society. After completing a course in Journalism through the National School of Journalism, she attended Louisburg Junior College and Greensboro College for Women.
Brigadier Langston, whose parents were life members of The Salvation Army Advisory Board, received a direct calling from God to commit her life to the ministry of the Army through listening to a Salvation Army Open Air (street) Meeting in Goldsboro. As the words of a song were sung "Who'll go and help this shepherd - help Him the wandering ones to find", God said to her "I want you to go and work with these people and help find the Lost". She never doubted or swerved from this conviction of the heavenly call to service in The Salvation Army, or from her covenant with God and the Army.
Miss Langston entered The Salvation Army Training for Officership College in Atlanta, Georgia in June 1937.
During most of her 40 years of active service, she was involved with youth and young adult work. Corps appointments included Spartanburg, S.C., Asheville, Greensboro, and Charlotte Belmont. She spent 2 years in the Territorial Youth Department to write The Primary Sunday School booklets for The Salvation Army in the United States, a weekly page in The Salvation Army War Cry for teenagers in a Corps Cadet Bible study and a Corps Cadet Counselors, entitled "Co-Workers with Christ". For 3 years Brigadier Langston conducted a Young Officers Training Course (YOTC) in Atlanta, each session lasting 2 months in specific youth work training and practices. This was done in conjunction with her regular work as Director of Youth Work in the Atlanta area.
She served as Divisional Youth Secretary and Guard and Sunbeam Director in Washington, DC and Atlanta, Georgia for 4 years in each area.
A four-year term as Youth Counselor for the Southern fifteen states was followed by five years at The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training in Atlanta as Assistant and Dean for Women. Her last active appointment was as Candidates Director (recruitment of officers) for three years in the Territorial Youth Department, retiring in 1975.
After retirement, Brigadier Langston service 10 years part time with the Army's North and South Carolina Youth Department, acting as Candidates Counselor.
In 1995, she was honored at a Territorial Congress, held in Atlanta, by The Army's International leader, General Paul Rader, and presented with a plaque for "exceptional services after retirement". She was a recipient of the Order of the Founder in 2002 and an endowment fund was set up in her name in 2002.
Survivors include nieces, Mrs. Ann Futrell and husband Bill, of Goldsboro and Patricia Falconnier and husband John, of Illinois; nephews, W. Dortch Langston Jr. and wife Kaye of Goldsboro, William Moring Craven Jr. and wife Patti of Wendell and D. Langston Craven and wife Donna of Aberdeen. Many great-nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews and cousin, George Langston Jr. of Sanford.
Family will receive friends on Monday from 7-9 p.m. at Mitchell Funeral Home, 600 St. Mary's Street. Services will be conducted at The Salvation Army Church on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 25th. Graveside services will also be held on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Willowdale Cemetery in Goldsboro.
Flowers are welcomed; however, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 27584, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.
(Written and Paid by Family)
Published in Obituaries on July 23, 2006 10:00 AM