Doris Isom

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Doris Ann Isom, 82, of Columbia, Tennessee, formerly of Olive Branch, passed away Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, at NHC Healthcare in Columbia.

She was born April 18, 1934, in Good Springs, Tennessee, to Willis Junior Legg and Ora May Bass Legg. At the time of her birth, she had two older siblings, Thomas Fagan and Gene Austin. Four years later, Louie Junior was born to complete the family of six.

Doris lived in Tennessee until she was 12 years old. At that time, her mother married Mr. Glenn Bridges of Olive Branch, and she moved to Sandy Ridge, where she started the seventh grade at Olive Branch Grade School. She graduated high school from Thebes High School in 1952.

While living in Tennessee, she worked hard as a young girl working on the farm doing the many chores that were required. Cotton was king in our area, and she spent many hours under the hot sun picking cotton. School would terminate for two weeks during cotton-picking time because it was an absolute necessity for children to get in the fields and help pick.

At age 14, she started working as a waitress in the Twin Gables Cafe and remained there until she graduated from high school. Later, she worked as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone in Cairo, Illinois, then to Kevel as a key-punch operator during the construction of the plant there in 1950 and 1951.

From 1954 to 1966, she worked in federal civil service as a key-punch operator on four Air Force bases. The first at Scott AFB, Illinois, from 1954 to 1957; Westover AFB, Massachusetts, from 1957 to 1961; McCoy AFB, Florida, from 1961 to 1964; and Kinchloe AFB, Michigan, from 1964 to 1966.

In 1966, she left the employment rolls and became a housewife and mother for her husband and two children. During the next 40 years, she worked outside the home only as a part-time House of Directive Assessments (HODA) saleslady and seven years as a receptionist with H&R Block during tax-preparation period.

She is survived by her husband, Gene Isom of Columbia; son, Jerry Isom of St. Charles, Missouri; daughter, Lora Lemons of White Oak, Georgia; six grandchildren, James Nelson and Jared Isom and Zachary, Nicholas, Aleah and Jacob Lemons; brother, Gene (Marilyn) Legg of Columbia; sister, Sandra (Donald) Riley of Summertown, Tennessee; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Thomas Fagan and Louie Legg.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Illinois.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with pastor Stephen Clardy and Clarence Thompson officiating. Interment will be at Olive Branch Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association and will be accepted at the funeral home.

To view the full obituary or to leave an online condolence for the family, visit www.crainsonline.com.