Dottie Moore

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Dorothy Matthews Moore, 90, died peacefully Thursday, April 23, 2020. at Chateau Girardeau.

Born Oct. 31, 1929, in Sikeston, Dottie was the daughter of Charles Davis III and Dorothy Lillard Matthews III. She attended Sikeston High School, where she was a Red Pepper and played the drums in the marching band. She was the first Miss Sikeston and the first Cotton Carnival Queen and was also named Missouri Maid of Cotton.

A gifted pianist, she attended Hollins College in Virginia for two years and then attended and graduated from University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Fine Arts-Music. At the university, Dottie was a devoted member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

After graduation, Lindenwood College hired Dottie to be their social director. She had begun work on a master's degree in music, when she married James Handy Moore on Dec. 19, 1953, and moved to Charleston, Missouri. In 1966, she and Handy moved their family to Sikeston. Because of their love for southwest Florida, Dottie and Handy bought their first home on Sanibel Island, Florida, in 1976 and continued to spend time there for the remainder of their 63 years of marriage.

Dottie and her husband farmed in the area all of their lives. She was very involved in local business as she and her brother, Charles, developed Midtowner Shopping Center as well as downtown retail buildings. Dottie was also on the board of directors for the Bank of Sikeston, continuing the legacy of her great-grandfather, C.D. Matthews Sr., who founded the bank in 1887.

Dottie's dedication to the arts was apparent as she was appointed by Gov. Kit Bond to the Missouri Arts Council. She was a member of the advisory board for KRCU radio, Missouri Governor's Mansion, chairwoman of Sikeston Cultural Center planning board, president of Sikeston Arts Council and Sikeston Community Concerts. Dottie also was the trustee for Harriet Jones Art Award. She shared her gift of piano with countless audiences throughout her life, including playing the organ at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Sikeston and the piano at Chateau Girardeau.

Dottie co-chaired Missouri Delta Medical Center Hospital Ball and was the neighborhood chairwoman and scout leader for Delta Area Girl Scouts and in Sikeston. In Charleston, she was a member of Junior Study Club and Molly French Garden Club. She continued her devotion to Kappa Kappa Gamma throughout her life, including a tenure as president of the House Board.

In addition to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Sikeston, Dottie was a faithful member of St. Michael's and All Angels in Sanibel, where she served twice as senior warden and enjoyed her work in the church resale shop.

Dottie enjoyed music, tennis, bridge, books, gardening and spending time with loved ones. She and Handy loved sharing their passion for traveling with friends and family, including skiing trips with Jane and Jim Anthony, white water rafting with Martha and Bob Patterson and special trips to Europe with each of their eight grandchildren.

She is survived by her children, Joseph Hunter Moore, Caroline Moore Strom and Charles Matthews Moore.

She is also survived by a daughter-in-law, Bonnie Harris Moore; son-in-law, David Strom; grandchildren, Sarah (Eric) Strom Bohl, James (Sara) Moore, Matthew (Sasha Awn) Strom, Rebecca Moore (Chad Sardashti), Hannah Moore, Stuart Strom, Campbell Moore (Gustavo Linde) and Amelia Moore; and great-grandchildren, Walt and Caleb Moore of Nashville, Tennessee, and August, Maggie and John Henry Bohl of Columbia, Missouri.

Her husband, James Handy Moore, and brother, Charles Davis Matthews IV, preceded her in death.

Services will be held at a later date under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home in Sikeston.

The family requests memorial contributions to be sent to: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1010 N. Main, Sikeston, MO 63801; St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957; or Kappa Kappa Gamma (Theta Chapter), c/o Sarah Bohl, 4101 White Pine Court, Columbia, MO 65203.