Dorothy J. Knowles, 84, of Castle Hayne, North Carolina, died Monday afternoon, April 13th, 2009 at Pender Memorial Hospital in Burgaw, North Carolina.
Born during the Great Depression Era in a rural farming community in eastern North Carolina near Faison, she was the daughter of the late Jonah and Mrs. Ella May Baker Jackson.
She was one of many women entering the workforce after WWII. She retired from the DuPont Company in Kinston, NC after 30 years of service as a laboratory technician.
Never one to sit still for very long, Dorothy moved to Castle Hayne, NC in 1983 and went to work at J.C. Penney as a retail associate for 6 years. She also volunteered at New Hanover Hospital and became a lifelong member of Wrightsboro Baptist Church. For the next ten years she was a professional extra with Fincannon Studios of Wilmington, fulfilling her dream of being in movies. She appeared in 11 episodes of the Matlock Series as the Court Stenographer and in numerous episodes of Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill. Some of her movie appearances were in “Muppets from Space”, “ Black Knight “ and “Out of Carolina.” Dorothy always described this period of her life as the happiest. During her remaining years she carried on with helping others and applying her amazing green thumb to growing the flowers and plants she always loved. Her caring heart continued to adopt and feed the neighborhood kids, cats, dogs, wildlife and birds and inspire those who knew her. She was affectionately called “ Miss Movie Star Dot “ by her friends and loved ones.
Surviving are her daughter, Glenda Elaine Whitefield of Stem, NC; her cat, “Blackie”; her sister Lewellyn Carmichael of Oriental, NC, and two step-sisters, Ruth Baker and Eunice Kornegay both of Mt. Olive, NC; nieces, Jo Jackson, Lourenda Godfrey, LaVerne Swerbenski, Jean Wilson,and Cindy Outlaw; nephews, Stanley Outlaw, Danny Gieck, Bobby Godley, Dexter Jackson, and Carroll Jackson. She was preceded in death by her five sisters, Daisy Creel, Anna Mae Gieck, Irma Godley, Essie Owens and Aleene Outlaw, and her four brothers, Charlie Jackson, Henry Tull Jackson, Theodore Jackson and Garland Jackson.
A memorial service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 at Wrightsboro Baptist Church, 2736 Castle Hayne Rd., Wilmington, NC 28401. A Memorial Garden in Dorothy’s memory is planned using donated live plants at her home. Other contributions may be sent C/O Linda Renn,528 McClure Circle, Castle Hayne, NC 28429.
Online condolences may be sent to www.wilmingtonburialandcremation.com.
Wilmington Burial and Cremation Service, 1535 S 41st Street, Wilmington, NC 28403 910.791.9099
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