Dorothy “Dot” Teale

Dorothy “Dot” Teale, 96, passed away in her WillowBrooke Court residence at Lanier Village Estates, Gainesville, GA on Saturday, March 17, 2018. She is predeceased by her husband Richard “Dick” Teale. She is survived by her daughter, Susan (Fred) Ajax of Dunwoody, GA; her son, Roger (Mary Joe) Teale of Detroit, MI; and her three grandsons, Adam (Rachel) Couvillon, Eric Teale and Matthew Teale.

Dot was born in College Point, NY on September 27, 1921. She spent her childhood in Brooklyn, NY, graduating from Brooklyn College with a B.A. in Psychology. Dot was thrilled to have studied under Dr. Alfred Maslow. Then she studied three years as a post-graduate student at West Virginia State College, learning Ceramics.

Dot was employed part-time at Macy’s Herald Square store in New York City while in college. She also worked at Brooklyn College as an Assistant Registrar, and in the Personnel Department of Vick Chemical Company.

Over the course of her life Dot lived in several places, including Charleston, WV; St. Albans, WV; Bergamo, Lido de Jesolo, Italy; East Greenwich, RI; Hilton Head Island, SC; Dawsonville, GA; and Gainesville, GA. Dot’s move to Gainesville was to live at Lanier Village Estates, her happy home for 13 years, since 2005. She lived independently in her Village East apartment (#2326) for 11 years; then she transitioned to WillowBrooke Court to get the skilled care she needed for the last 15 months of her life.

Dot did a lot of part-time and volunteer Work. In West Virginia, she taught Adult Education classes in pottery, flower arranging, and crafts. At Hilton Head Island, SC she was a designer for a silk flower shop. Dot was a floral designer in a nursery and in other florist shops, too. She taught many courses and gave lectures and demonstrations in flower arranging and pottery.

Dot was a member of the League of Women Voters in West Virginia. She was a long-time member of the National Council of Garden Clubs, too. Her church affiliations were varied. Dot grew up in Flatlands Dutch Reformed Church (a beautiful, old, historic church in Brooklyn, established in 1654). She also attended Baptist Temple of Charleston, WV; First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head Island, SC; and most recently, First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, GA.

Among her many civic activities Dot was a Master Flower Show Judge; she was President of the Garden Council in Charleston, WV; and she was both the West Virginia State Flower Show Chairman and the West Virginia State Flower Show School Chairman.

Dot’s interests and hobbles included gardening, flower arranging, crafts, designing containers made of pottery, bridge, and traveling. Dot and her husband loved to travel with a tent camper in the summers with their children. They visited most of the Canadian provinces and 48 of the 50 American states, missing only Alaska and Hawaii. They camped in most of the national parks.

During the two years they lived in Italy they browsed around Europe in a car spending one Christmas in Innsbruck, another Christmas in Majorca, and an Easter in the gardens of Holland.

Dot Teale’s ashes will be interred alongside Dick’s in the Columbarium at First Presbyterian Church, Gainesville, GA at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4, 2018. The Memorial Service for Dot will follow the interment at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel at Lanier Village Estates, 4000 Village View Drive, Gainesville. After the Memorial there will be a Reception in the Auditorium at Lanier Village Estates.

Persons desiring to make contributions in memory of Dot Teale may consider First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, GA, or a charity of choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.hillsidechapelfuneralhome.com

Hillside Chapel Funeral Home & Cremation Services 1190 McEver Rd. Gainesville, GA is in charge of arrangements.