October 16, 1938 – August 23, 2024
Luke 1:45
“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which have been spoken to her from the Lord”
Dorothy Lorene Knight Fordham passed away peacefully in the loving arms of her Savior on August 23, 2024, at 85, after waging a fierce and dogged battle with stage 4 lung cancer, a disease that came on suddenly and without warning, leaving her under hospice care at Southern Manor in her final months. This is all the more shocking as Dot was a lifelong exerciser, wearing out numerous treadmills and ellipticals. Dot lived a life that was marked by faith at the tender age of 12 and harnessed her gifts as a lifelong teacher, first in the public schools for 30 years and then in the Church, teaching women her love of the scriptures.
She is survived by 2 sons, Jerry Daniel Fordham, Jr. and Mary Fordham of Jacksonville, FL; and Douglas Knight Fordham of Stafford, VA. 7 Grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren provide a lasting legacy; they are [grandchildren] Renea (Earl) MacLellan; Lisa (Bill) Dotson; Jedidiah and Therabella; [great grandchildren] Isaiah; Dylan; Mia; Lilyann; Grace and Isabella.
Dot was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Jerry Daniel Fordham Sr., her father, Andrew Jackson Knight, her mother, Lorene Bradley Knight, and her Grandson, Joshua Daniel Fordham.
She was the fourth daughter of five sisters: the late Jacquelyn Deloris Knight Horne, the late Sue Cornelia Ryals, Betty Knight Minick, and the late Alice Jannel Starling.
Dot began learning to play piano “by ear” at the age of 5 and played piano in church for more than 25 years, and in her last months she even enjoyed entertaining her fellow residents at Southern Manor with hymns and spiritual songs.
Dot felt called as a Teacher, obtaining her teaching credentials from Georgia Teacher’s College (now Georgia Southern University) in 1960, splitting her first 10 years of teaching between Chatham County and Bulloch County before moving with her Family to North Georgia in a move that would shape her Family for the next 40 years, teaching an additional 20 years split between Fannin County and Habersham County. But Dot didn’t stop teaching. Instead, she began teaching Women in the church, a love she invested in for more than 20 years. Recognized for her leadership skills, Dot was asked to get involved in Women’s Missionary Union (WMU), where she invested her skills and gifts for more than 10 years, achieving leadership roles at the State level: she absolutely loved this work and felt called to it!
Dot was a lifelong church goer. She and Jerry were involved in Mount Yonah Baptist Church for 22 years and Cleveland First Baptist Church for 10 years. Following the death of her husband, Jerry, Dot moved back home to Bulloch County where she served as a member of First Baptist Church Statesboro.
The family will receive visitors on Thursday from 10:00am until 11:00am at First Baptist Church Statesboro. The funeral service will follow in the church sanctuary at 11:00am with Dr. John Waters officiating.
Interment will be at Brooklet City Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be James Cupp, Kenneth Knight, Bert Bradley, Blake Ryals, Johnny Owens, and Frank Hook.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro is in charge of arrangements.
