Avis Hutchinson Dodson (1929-2025)Avis Hutchinson Dodson, died at home in Oviedo, Florida on July 18, 2025, surrounded by her loving and devoted family. She was born on March 3,1929, in Blue Springs, Mississippi, to Lawrence E. Hutchinson and Rena Lee (Rennie) Bates Hutchinson. Avis (“Avous” before she changed the spelling) and her big brother Flavous (whom she adored) grew up on a 25-acre farm, where they shared a passion for books and an aversion to farm chores.
A bright and spirited young woman, Avis graduated from Cedar Hill High School and soon began working as a secretary for Dodson Buick in Oxford, Mississippi. It was there that she met Leslie Dodson of Columbus, Mississippi. They married in 1951 and first made their home in Oklahoma City, where they welcomed their three daughters.
In the early 1960s the family moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and in the 1970s settled in Lakeland, Florida. There, Avis served for 25 years as the office manager for Tri-County Alcoholism Treatment Center.
In 1998, Avis faced the loss of her beloved husband of 47 years. She eventually relocated to Oviedo, Florida, to be near her family and later moved to Plainsboro, New Jersey in 2020 to live with her eldest daughter and son-in-law. During her time there, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she delighted in the company of her great-grandsons—one a preschooler, the other a second grader attending virtual school in the bedroom down the hall. She enjoyed their lively activity and even helped with occasional homework assignments.
In the fall of 2024, as her health declined, Avis returned to Oviedo to live with her youngest daughter and son-in-law, where she was surrounded by her grandchildren and their children. Her college-aged great-grandchildren helped with her weekly care and enjoyed interacting and sharing stories. The preteen boy played card games and talked sports. The kindergarten girl would often snuggle in bed with her and color. Avis had frequent visitors and was well-loved and well-cared for until her passing.
Avis was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, cherished by her family and many wonderful friends. Intelligent and empathetic, with a sharp sense of humor, she will be remembered for her witty retorts, her love of animals, and her profound sense of fairness.
Avis was a member of Camp Creek Baptist Church in Lee County, Mississippi; St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Oklahoma City; First United Methodist Church in Fort Walton Beach; and was a long-time member and past president of the BYKOTA class at First United Methodist Church in Lakeland. She attended Tuscawilla Presbyterian Church in Oviedo.
Avis is survived by her daughters: Dee Dee Dodson (and husband Donald Benjamin) of Plainsboro, NJ; Carole Jordan (and husband Bob Jordan) of Oviedo, FL; and T. Saltsman. She is also survived by her grandchildren and their spouses: Rachel and Jake Szafranski; Joshua and Jaclyn Jordan; Emily and Doug Vorp; and Mark Benjamin and Sarah Dickson. She leaves behind 10 beloved great-grandchildren.
Avis will be remembered at a 10:00 am service on July 25 at Camp Creek Baptist Church in Guntown, Mississippi. She will be laid to rest next to her husband in the church cemetery.
For those unable to attend, the service will be live-streamed at the above-mentioned day and time:https://www.facebook.com/campcreekbaptist/
Arrangements are being handled by Waters Funeral Home in Baldwyn, Mississippi. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor Avis’s gentle spirit by performing an “Act of Kindness” for someone in need.
