Lois Brooks Dorsey passed away at the Colonnades in Charlottesville, VA on April 14, 2020.

She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Born to Lila and Edgar Brooks on May 19,1934, Lois grew up on her family’s farm in Halifax County, a few miles from Brookneal, Virginia. After graduating high school in Elkin, NC in 1953, she moved with a group of girlfriends to Washington DC to work as a typist for the FBI.

She quickly met the love of her life in DC, and her first date with Louis Dorsey was to view the Independence Day fireworks at the Washington Monument. Thus began a romance of nearly 67 years. Lois married Lou in November, 1954, and the couple moved back to Lou’s hometown of Winchester, VA before their daughter, Dee, was born in 1956. A “stay-at-home mom” while her kids were young (Danny was born in 1959), Lois took employment as a bank teller with Farmers and Merchants National Bank in the late 1960’s. She was a faithful and trusted employee and manager until her retirement in 1995.

Lois and Lou relocated to Virginia Beach after retirement to be closer to Dee and her daughters, Taber and Haley. Lois enjoyed her retirement years, with walks on the beach, travels with Lou and friends, and decorating their new home. She treasured time spent with her grandkids, attending all sorts of games and concerts to cheer them on. At the same time, she kept in close contact and visited often with family and old friends from Winchester and southern Virginia, and visited often with Dan, Cathy and grandson Garen once they moved back to Virginia.

Lois and Lou moved once again in 2009, taking up residence at the Colonnades in Charlottesville, close to Dan and his family. By this time Lois was beginning to struggle with memory loss, and Lou was able to get extra support in caring for her. After two years of living together in Independent Living at the Colonnades, Lois had experienced enough decline in her memory functions and mobility that a move into dementia care was necessary. We were grateful that her decline at first was very slow, which meant we still had her to talk and laugh with. Lou has been steadfast and faithful over the past many years, visiting every day to help her with love, care and even feeding her meals.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents Lila and Edgar Brooks, and siblings Russell Brooks, Earleen “Trick” Ferguson, and Herbert Brooks.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 65 years, Lou Dorsey. Also her daughter Dee Carpenter (husband Gil) of Virginia Beach, granddaughters Taber Catillaz (husband John), and Haley Vidrine (husband James), and two great-granddaughters Brooks Catillaz and Cameron Vidrine. Also her son, Dan Dorsey (wife Cathy) of Charlottesville, and grandson Garen Dorsey of New York City.

The family requests that memorial donations be made in memory of Lois to either the Alzheimer’s Association, or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis TN.

A memorial and life celebration will be planned at a later date.

Online condolences may be left at www.jonesfuneralhones. com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lois Brooks Dorsey (Brooks), please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.