Flora Nell Rye Dobbs, 87, passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at her home in Hamilton. She was born in Lowndes County, Mississippi on August 8, 1933, to the late Rufus Willard and Bessie Walters Rye. Flora grew up in Caledonia and attended school there until she was 12 and her family moved across the river to Hamilton. She graduated from Hamilton High School and Mississippi State College for Women. After completing her dietetic internship at the VA Hospital in Memphis, she returned to Hamilton and married the love of her life, Robert Sidney Dobbs, Jr. in September, 1956. She worked as a Registered Dietitian for 25 years at Lamar County Hospital in Vernon, AL. After her retirement from the hospital, she continued her career as a Dietetic Consultant until 2008.
Her church was so important to her and she was a member of Flint Hill Methodist Church in Caledonia until 1970 when she moved her membership to the Hamilton United Methodist Church in order to raise her young family in their own community. She served as a Sunday school teacher and board member for many years. She was a devoted wife and mother who would do anything for her family. After retirement, she was one of the HUMC original “Cake Ladies,” baking countless cakes to help raise funds for the Friendship Fellowship Building. She loved her church family and was able to attend services until the end of October.
For many years she enjoyed participating with the Ladies Bible Study at Center Hill Baptist Church and came to love all of the ladies in that group. Her family and friends were always her top priority. She doted on her grandchildren encouraging all of them to continue to attend church as she had taught them as children.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 13, 2020 at the Hamilton United Methodist Church with Dr. Roger McGrew officiating. Burial will be in the Friendship Cemetery. Tisdale-Lann Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include her son, Robert Dobbs (Shawna Robinson); her daughters, Patsy Cooper (Donnie), Janet Welch (Terry), and Christy Dobbs all of Hamilton; grandchildren, Brianna Cooper, Jessi Cooper Doty (Jake), Dylan Welch (Sierra), Dustin Welch, Sidney Dobbs, Eli Sanders, Daniel Gilliam, Morgan Yarbrough, and Brennan Robinson; great grandchildren, Avery and Cooper Doty, and Laynee and Sam Welch. She also leaves behind many friends and beloved family members including her long term caregiver, Brenda Danner.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Sid; her oldest grandson, Shawn Copelin; her mother and father-in-law, Vera Lee and Sid Dobbs; and her brother-in-law, Preston Dobbs.
Pallbearers will be Danny Dobbs, Benny Dobbs, Scott Dobbs, Adam Dobbs, Payton Dobbs, and Tommy Sanders. Honorary pallbearers will be Lewis Sanders, Wayne McBride, Nelson McBride, Glen Hopper, Paul Hopper, Rick Beasley, and Josh Bush.
Memorials may be made to the Hamilton United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 309, Hamilton, MS 39746; Gideon’s Intl.; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; or to Palmer home for Children.
Visitation will be on Sunday from 1 p.m. until service time.
Condolences may be shared with the family at tisdalelannmemorial.com
