Dorothea Kilgore Eden

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones" (Psalm 116:15).  Dot Eden, devoted follower of Jesus Christ, died on June 25, 2008, in the county where she was born.  She lived a faith-filled life of contentment, even during two periods of widowhood.  Near the end of her life, she wrote, "God has been so caring, providing, and good to me.  He is my Life, my All, and His Son is my Savior and friend.  I thank them for providing for me so bountifully and so compassionately through all my years on this earth."  Born in Gwinnett County on March 7, 1922, Dot was the second daughter of Ernest and Carolyn Kilgore.  She was a "preacher's kid."  During her childhood, her dad pastored Baptist churches in Dublin, Carrollton, and Baxley.  After graduating from Carrollton High, she attended Mercer University, where she was active in sports and chorus, on the newspaper and yearbook staffs, and in several clubs and honor societies.  She married Ray Dickey after they both graduated from Mercer.  Just seven months after their wedding, she was widowed when Ray, a WWII Marine pilot, was declared missing in action.  Pregnant at the time of his death, she gave birth five months later to their daughter Dianna.  Dot married Bob Eden in 1949.  They settled in the Newton Estates area of College Park GA in 1954, where they raised Dianna and two sons, John and Charles.  Dot was a mathematics teacher for many years at GMA/Woodward Academy, North Clayton High, and Jonesboro Junior High.  She was active at Newton Estates Baptist Church, where she served as a Sunday School teacher and choir member.  Dot and Bob moved to Gwinnett County in 1985.  They were married 47 years until his death in 1996.  Dot will be remembered for her strong faith; her devotion to her family; her generosity and sacrificial giving; her love for teaching, travel, and reading; and her dry sense of humor.  She fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).  She is survived by her children Dianna, John, Charles and wife DeLee; grandchildren Cheryl, Jennifer, Rachel, and David; great grandchildren Cassidy, Jayden, and Hudson; and cousins, nieces, and nephew.  Visitation will be held at A.S. Turner Funeral Home in Decatur on Friday, June 27 at 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, June 28 at 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.  Funeral services at A.S. Turner will be held on Saturday, June 28 at 11:00 a.m.  Internment will follow immediately at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Robert and Dorothea Eden Fund at Dallas Theological Seminary, Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta, the Salvation Army, or AmeriCares. A. S. Turner & Sons