- Date Of Birth: October 23, 1928
- Date Of Death: August 24, 2021
- State: Illinois
With family at her side our mom, Orda L. Doty, 92, had one of her daily prayers answered the morning of Tuesday, August 24, 2021 as she peacefully bid farewell to this world and went home to be with her Lord and Savior. While her departure brings her unspeakable joy, our hearts are broken. Our grief is softened by the thought of the reunion she is having with our Dad, our brother and other cherished family that she loved and had been missing so very much. We grieve with the hope of a reunion of our own.
Mom was born on October 23, 1928 to Earl D. and Carrie B. (Tull) Walden. She grew up on a farm outside of Shelbyville, IL and she actually did walk several miles to school in the snow and maybe even uphill. But she loved school and learning so much that even before she was old enough to officially attend she was allowed to occasionally tag along with her siblings and spend the day in the one room classroom. Sometimes carrying coal in for the stove for that privilege.
She was a member of The Greatest Generation, and as a young woman she first worked at a cheese factory and then later at the Sta-Rite hairpin factory, both in Shelbyville.
She was a huge fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, enjoyed watching them on TV and going to the ballpark, especially Opening Day. She was also a fan of the Fighting Illini – football and basketball and any team her family played on.
Like Dad we know that Mom took the greatest joy and pride in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was just as excited about the most recent great-grandchild born this past December, and the ones expected later this year, as she was the first grandchild born in 1971. She enjoyed attending her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s activities, whether that was a sporting event, concert or a play.
Through her we have learned the value of hard work and what it means to persevere through challenges, pain, weariness and heartbreak. She gave us the gift of unconditional love, music, laughter, selflessness, the ability to say ‘it will be better tomorrow” or ‘oh well” if things don’t go as we thought they might. She gave us the gift of a faith that looks to the Lord for help, knowing that is what gave her strength in the most challenging times of her life.
Surviving are her children, son Douglas (Carla) Doty of Metamora, son Stanley Doty of East Peoria, daughter-in-law Donna (the late Monte) Doty, daughter Dianna (Douglas) Delinski of Metamora, son Rickie C. (Lisa) Doty of Metamora, daughter April (Steve) Nauman of Germantown Hills, son Dorwin (Angela) Doty of Washington, and son Brian (Karen) Doty of East Peoria; forty-one grandchildren; seventy-three great-grandchildren; and a plethora of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, son Harold “Monte” Doty, daughter-in-law Shelley (LeBaube) Doty, grandson-in-law Shawn Sarver, and two infant great-grandsons Jeffrey Doty and Gage Maurice.
