Dorothy Beckum Obituary, Death – Mrs. Dorothy “Dot” Beckum, age 94, of Vidalia, passed away on Sunday, January 1, 2023, at Treutlen Health and Rehab in Soperton. She had been battling an illness for a significant amount of time prior to her passing. She was born in Uvalda, and she lived there until the late 1940s when she moved to Toombs County. She had been a resident of Uvalda her entire life. After successfully completing her coursework at Brewton-Parker College and graduating from that school, she was awarded her license to practice as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). She began her nursing career with Dr. Robert DeJarnette, Sr., and later worked with Dr. Robert “Bob” DeJarnette, Jr., who is the son of Dr. Robert DeJarnette.
Before she finally decided to retire as a nurse, she put in a total of sixty-four years of service at Bethany Home. Her work in nursing began under the direction of Dr. Robert DeJarnette Sr. In her spare time, she enjoyed baking, cooking, tending to her yard, and spending time with her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Vidalia, and in her religious community, she was involved in the ministry of the church. Her parents, Homer Morris and Naomi Smith Morris, and her sister, Christine Smith, all passed away before she did. She was the last surviving member of her family. Her husband, Eschol Beckum, had already passed away before they did.
Her immediate family consists of her two daughters, Theresa Beckum Walker of Madison and Catherine Beckum Underwood and Charles “Tad” Bryant of Vidalia; her granddaughter, Catie O’Neal and her husband T.J. of Greensboro; her two great-granddaughters, Carly and Caroline; and a special and long-time friend of the Beckum family, Barry Jones of Mount Vernon.
In the future, there will be a memorial service that will only be attended by members of the family. Donations in memory of the deceased can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association by visiting their website at alz.org. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made. Up until the time of the funeral service, donations will be accepted.