Dorothy Inez Boyd McCraine

Published 12:30 am Sunday, February 23, 2014

Dorothy Inez Boyd McCraine, 86, of Vicksburg, died Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, at River Region Medical Center.

She peacefully left this earth to be with her heavenly Father surrounded by her family in the last moment of her 86 years of a well lived life.

Mrs. McCraine was born Oct. 4, 1927, in Utica. She spent her youth in the Utica-Learned-Lebanon Communities of Hinds County; finished high school at the Hinds County Junior College high school department in 1945, and earned a diploma from Hinds County Junior college in 1947.

In the late 1940’s, Dot began working at the Merchants National Bank of Vicksburg. She would continue her career there as a bank teller until 1985. She was most proud of having worked at the first drive-through window at a bank in Vicksburg, which opened at the Belmont Street branch.

Dot married her “sweetheart,” Edward “Mike” McCraine in 1950. They were married for 45 years until Mike passed away in 1995. Together they raised four children in a Christian home. Dot was actively involved in her children’s school activities as a PTA president, band parent, and room mother. Dot was a member of Bowmar Ave. Baptist Church where she taught children’s Sunday School for decades, and later taught Senior Adult Sunday School.

In 1999 Dot was seriously injured in an auto accident that left her homebound for the remainder of her life. She showed incredible courage as she learned to walk again.

Dot became lovingly known as “Moma Dot” to her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and to many others who knew her. She had a kind heart, and she would say, a “tender” heart. Her favorite things were a good book, a fresh tomato sandwich, and a visit to one of her Boyd cousins.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. McCraine was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Eloise Boyd, and her brother D.F. “Sonny” Boyd, all of Utica.

Mrs. McCraine is survived by a daughter, Mary Lynn McCraine of Vicksburg, sons, Terry (Christy) McCraine of Vicksburg, Tim (Sandi) McCraine of Lake Charles La., Todd (Kim) McCraine of Ashtabula, Ohio; and a sister, Alice Boyd Hearn of Vicksburg; eight grandchildren, Claire (Brian), Seth (Jana), Casey (Bekah), Joshua, Amber, Victoria, Cheyanne, and Lindsey; 10 great-grandchildren, Brittany Evans, Abby Evans, Lilly Evans, Caleb, Lainey, Silas, Lyla, Micah, Hunter, Tarrah, and two God grandchildren; Jena and Ryan Brantley.

The family would like to thank the staff of Gentiva Home Health for their continued care for Moma Dot over the past two years, and would like to express sincere gratitude to Dr. Lora Clement and the ICU staff and nurses at River Region Medical Center for their kindness and compassion during such a difficult time.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, at Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home with the Rev. Geoffrey Joyner officiating (former pastor of Crawford Street United Methodist Church). Burial will be in Green Lawn Gardens.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, and Tuesday from noon until service time Tuesday, February 25, 2014.

Pallbearers will be Joshua McCraine, Casey McCraine, Seth McCraine, Jay Hearn, Sam Hearn, Ashley Boyd, Steve Whitehead, and David Feder.

Honorary pallbearers will be Tom and Robin Holmes, Donnell and May Youngblood, Wade and Patsy Hammack, Heidi Chausse, Kristen Allred, Angela Halliburton, and Dr. Lara Clement.

The family requests memorials be made to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital, 2200 North State St., Jackson MS 39216; and Crawford Street UMC, 900 Crawford St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.