Dorothy Whitley (Lee) Overton

Dorothy “Dot” O. Lee Whitley Overton, 90, of Harkers Island passed away Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, at Carteret Healthcare.

Her celebration of life is at 2:00 pm Saturday at Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City with internment at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens.

Dot was born January 20, 1926 to Dalton Lee, Sr. and Ila Southerland Lee in Havelock in the old Wynne House on Gray Rd.  She grew up on her daddy’s farm which is now the Greenfield Heights subdivision.  She was the oldest living native of the original Havelock community.

Dot married Earl Whitley, the first love of her life, in April, 1943.  They were active members of the Wildwood Presbyterian Church.  She was devoted mother who never missed an opportunity to attend school functions or extracurricular activities of her children.   She had various jobs including the shirt factory in Morehead City as an inspector and at Camp Glenn school cafeteria where she never let a child go hungry.

Dot was a member of the Carteret County Home Extension for over 50 years.  As a member of Home Extension she was a nutrition leader with the North Carolina State University Seafood Laboratory kitchen.  Their group met monthly to test new ways of handling, storing and preparing seafood caught off the North Carolina coast.  The many years of seafood wisdom from this group was published in Mariner’s Menu:  30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas.

She was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star for over 40 years where she held many positions and served as Worthy Matron multiple times.   Dot originally joined Eastern Star in the Newport Chapter and was an active member of the Beaufort Chapter until her death.    She was always doing community service work including activities through Eastern Star,  volunteering with the ACTS Food Pantry in Bettie and assisting with American Red Cross blood drives.   She lived a life of kindness and service to others that always included both hugs and something good to eat.

Dot married the second love of her life, Lt. Colonel Thomas (Tom) L. Overton (Ret) in May, 2000.  She enjoyed a life with him on Harkers Island fishing and boating, and traveling to the Mountains of North Carolina.

Dot is survived by her daughters, Dorothy Houde and husband Greg of Newport and Judy Carraway and husband Charles of Wilmington; grandchildren, Michelle Pitman and husband Matt of Tusk, Kevin Carraway and wife Scarlett of Greenville, Erin Jones and husband Rocky of Wilmington, and Hannah and Ethan Overton of Wilmington; great grandchildren, Pete and Jamie Pitman, Sarah Shaw, Hannah and Christopher Carraway, Derek and Jason Jones; and great-great grandson, Michael Shaw.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Earl Whitley and Tom Overton; her brothers, Dalton Lee, Jr., Archie Lee, and Bobby Lee; and sister, Martha Jean Ballard; as well as her grandson, James Smith, IV.

The family will welcome friends one hour prior to the service at Munden Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the ACTS Food Pantry, 450 Hwy 70 Bettie, Beaufort, NC  28516.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.