Dotty Mae Caldwell was born on December 22nd, 1928, in Grenada, Mississippi to JC and Ida Bell Caldwell. Dotty was a woman ahead of her time and changed her name to Dorothy to better fit her personality. Dorothy had 16 siblings, 15 of which who have preceded her in death. She is survived by her younger sister Mary Onikoyi of Illinois, whom she had a special connection with. Dorothy departed this life peacefully, surrounded by family on January 14th, 2022.
At a young age while people were picking cotton, she was cooking and babysitting. She stayed home to help raise her siblings and did not obtain a formal education, but she didn’t let that stop her. Dorothy Mae taught herself how to read the bible and count money.
On April 20th, 1950, Dorothy affectionately known as Dorothy Mae, married Arthur Calvin Pearson. She had ten children; Wardell Caldwell, James (June) Lacey, Arthur Pearson, and John Allen Pearson who preceded her in death and is survived by her children Laura (Cola) Stafford, Maxine Pearson, David Pearson, George Pearson, Jerry Pearson, and Kenneth Pearson.
Once married Dorothy Mae moved to New Haven, Michigan where her husband found work. In New Haven she attended Greater New Hope Missionary
Baptist Church. She was a God-fearing woman and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. Later, she went on to attend Gods
Inspirational Kingdom under the leadership of the late Prophetess Lessie R. Brown.
Dorothy Mae was a caregiver and took seriously the charge God placed on her life to help others. She served the Miller family for many years, volunteered, and held other various jobs over her lifetime. She ultimately settled into working at Second Hand Rose Retail for 18 years where
she retired.
Dorothy Mae loved her family immensely, which was expressed in her cooking, family gatherings and conversations. Her favorite meal was pig
feet, turkey legs, greens, cornbread, and peach cobbler. You could find her eating greens and cornbread with her fingers because she said it brought out the best flavor! She loved to shop and she loved to dress. She loved her tobacco and could be found talking about “grown” folks’ stuff and money!
Dorothy Mae was independent and told it like it was, she was quick to recognize nonsense and she’d be the first to tell you, “I don’t want to hear that BS”. She enjoyed Jazz and gospel music. She was wise and if you wanted the truth, she was the person to give it you. She was adored by many and
will truly be missed.
She leaves behind to cherish her memory six children: Laura Stafford, Maxine Pearson, David Pearson, George Pearson, Jerry Pearson, and Kenneth
Pearson; 40 grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, great-great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and
friends.
Psalms 23
Proverbs 3: 5-6
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