Dorothy Caraway

Dorothy A. Caraway, age 81, passed away early Thursday morning, December 19, 2019, at her home in Evensville. She was born December 24, 1937, in Rockwood, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Rowe Wesley King and Alice Vanie Burdette King. Dorothy was also preceded in death by her husband, Virgil Paul Caraway; her son, Steven Caraway; brothers, George King, Melvin “Bud” King, and Clinton King; sisters, Edith Collette, Stella Cadwell, Margie Williams, Louise Pelfrey, Cynthia Whitely, and Barbara Walcott; and one great-granddaughter, Lanie Couch. She is survived by her daughter Debra (Tom) Baker of Evensville and stepdaughter Patricia (Norm) Ficke of Gainesville, GA; sons, Kenny (Rosemarie) Caraway of Sale Creek; and Danny (Peggy) Caraway of Evensville; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter; two special nieces, Marilyn Payne of Grimsley, TN and Sandra Armstrong of Dayton; several other nieces and nephews; and her best friend and confidante of 50 years, Betty Jo Dotson.

Dorothy lived in Evensville, Tennessee most of her life, where she raised her four children. She worked hard to make ends meet, working at restaurants in town, Bryan College, and Suburban. The job that she put the most love into was caretaker. She was always available to help care for a family member or special friend, and in fact she spent a number of years caring for her ill mother and others before they passed away. She was there for them in their most difficult passage of life. Her compassion was beyond measure.

Dorothy treasured the time she spent with family. She was a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. All of those titles meant the world to her.

Later in life, she married Virgil “Cotton” Caraway. Although she did not have a great many years with Cotton, she cherished every one. She always remembered him dearly.

Dorothy’s greatest asset, in her eyes, was that she was a Christian. She was a longtime member of Pleasant Dale Baptist Church.

The family is being cared for by the Vanderwall Funeral Home. Visitation will be Saturday from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Funeral services for Dorothy will be held Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Reverends Darrell Walden and Rick Mooneyham officiating. She will be laid to rest in Smyrna Cemetery in Evensville.

Please share your memories of Dorothy on her online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com .