Doris Mae Alexander

Doris, “Auntie Dee” to her family, was a 4’11.5” woman of energy, happiness, charm and authenticity. Doris was born in Stafford Springs, CT but lived most of her adult life in Hartford CT, Pompano Beach, FL and Asheville NC. Each location was the setting for an era in her life: Hartford was where her 37 year career with The Hartford doing Risk Management took place; Pompano Beach was where she enhanced the little family composed of her older sister, Mary, and her brother-in-law, Russell Hatch and Asheville was where Doris and Mary moved after Russell died in 1990.

Doris and Mary were inseparable. They became the cornerstones of a weekly gathering, the “Tuesday Ladies”, for lunch and cards. They were regular theater goers at SART in Mars Hill. They participated in every stage of their family’s lives including welcoming Doris’s great nieces and nephews into their home or visiting them whenever the opportunity presented. Doris and Mary loved baseball and on warm summer evenings could be counted on to be a few rows behind home plate cheering the Asheville Tourists to victory. Or agonizing over their losses. Doris was faithful, involved in The Basilica of St Lawrence with her sister in worship, in counting collection and finding other ways to support the parish. Doris became active in Democratic politics, even persuading Mary, a lifelong Republican, to help Barack Obama get elected President.

Doris loved baseball, family, Mickey Mouse, playing cards, Mary, the Pillsbury Dough Boy and shopping. But ask Doris what her favorite activity was and she probably would acknowledge, with a laugh and a sly wink, that shopping was pretty close to the top of her list. A day at the department store or a series of Asheville boutiques was a day in heaven for Doris. She moved with speed throughout the store, touching, talking, examining and sometimes buying a special treasure for herself or someone else, often her sister.

Doris died exactly the opposite of the way she lived life. She lived life with gusto, laughter, happiness and openness and an unmatchable exuberance. Her life was a shimmering, dancing light that lit her world and everyone in its arc. Doris died quietly right where she wanted to die, at home, with her beloved Mary by her side, friends and family nearby and a quiet Spring light filtering through the window. Rest in peace, Doris. Rest in peace.

A funeral mass will be said at 2:00 PM on May 31, 2018 at the Basilica of St Lawrence in Asheville. All are welcome.

Doris is survived by her sister, Mary E. Hatch, her nieces, Lynn Blackmore of Weaverville NC and Valerie L. Thomas of Lexington, VA, her great niece, Stephanie “Nikki” Blackmore, her great nephews, Christopher Blackmore of Weaverville, NC and Parker J. Thomas of Lexington, VA and a cousin, Richard Solett of San Angelo, TX.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children at www.shrinershospitals.org/Donate

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