DOROTHY LEE HEATER BLAND
Nov. 17, 1924-May 8, 2015
Dorothy Lee Heater Bland, Alexandria, Va., went to our Lord Jesus Christ Friday, May 8, 2015, at age 90. She died peacefully in her sleep from Alzheimer's at the home of her son, Bill Bland.
Dot was born Nov. 17, 1924, in Cary, N.C., to Russell Oran Heater and Jesse Conner Heater.
She was predeceased by her parents; her loving husband of 57 years, William A. "Bill" Bland of Surf City, N.C.; and her oldest son, Robert Russell "Bob" Bland of Bisbee, Ariz.
Her sisters, Marjorie Herring and Ann Morgan, also predeceased her.
A brother, Robert "Bob" Heater, lives in Cary.
Dot is survived by sons, Thomas Henry Bland (wife, Diana) of Burke, Va., William Goode "Bill" Bland of Alexandria, Va., and Richard Lee Bland of Richmond, Va., and her grandchildren, Kristina Girten (husband, Chris) of Alexandria, Va., Karen Low (husband, William) of Waco, Texas, and Mari Lynn Foulger (husband, Michael) of Brooklyn, N.Y., and their daughter, (Dot's great-granddaughter) Penny Virginia Foulger.
Bill's daughter, Karen, gave birth to Ariana Brooklyn Low June 1, 2015, in Waco, Texas.
Dot's husband, Bill, began a lifelong career with the North Carolina Department of Forestry in 1946.
The family moved to Goldsboro in 1953 when he was asked to build a pine seedling nursery along the Little River.
Dot became very active in business, politics, civic and church activities.
She established a Welcome Wagon service in Wayne County, N.C., soon after Richard started school in 1956.
Dot's career in Goldsboro also included publishing a local shopper's guide and owning Dot's Steno Service and Bland Realty. She established and managed C.L. Snipes Ford Car-Truck Leasing Corp. for more than 25 years.
She was very active in the Wayne County Democratic Party politics, managing several successful local, state and national campaigns.
She was a Cub Scout den mother for her four sons. Three earned the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts.
She was a member of St. Stephens Episcopal Church.
Memorial services will be held in two locations. A graveside service will be in Cary, N.C., 27511, at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 25, 2015. Hillcrest Cemetery is located off Dry Avenue, with a left turn on Page Street.
The second service is planned for 11 a.m., Friday, June 26, 2015, at Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel, 1040 S. Anderson Blvd., Topsail Beach, N.C., 28445.
Family and friends may contact Tom Bland at tbland6677@aol.com to receive updated information.
Memorial donations may be sent to Capital Caring Hospice, 5568 General Washington Drive, Suite A215, Alexandria, Va., 22312, or Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel, Fellowship House Fund, P.O. Box 3071, Topsail Beach, N.C., 28445.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on June 7, 2015 11:48 AM