Dorothy Miller was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina to the proud parents of Lemuel Mack Shaw and Blanche Shaw on January 14, 1915. She was the eldest of nine children. She was quietly called home on Friday, July 6, 2012.

Dorothy attended elementary school in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. She later attended and graduated from McIvey High School in Littleton, NC in 1933. In 1934, Dorothy moved to New York City and attended the Harlem Y school for nursing which at the time was the only black nursing school and became a practical nurse. While working in various hospitals, she was able to continue her career in nursing and later became a registered nurse. Dorothy worked in Bellevue Hospital in New York City and Queens Borough Hospital in Jamaica Queens.

Dorothy met and married Major Thrower in 1935. She gave birth to three children, Edith, Doris, and Major Jr. Together they made their home in Harlem, New York. Her husband Major passed and she later married Harry Miller in 1959, and they relocated to Hollis, Queens where they raised a set of foster twins, Gretchen and Germaine. Dorothy was fondly known as "Nana" by the family and everyone in the community. She ruled with a wooden switch. She was always a very loving, caring, warm and friendly person. She could talk to anyone.

Dorothy was a member of Mt Olivet Baptist church for over forty years and was very active in the church. She became Mother of the church and was the second oldest member when she passed away. We remember her in her church hats that she loved to wear on Sunday. Devoutly religious, she attended service every Sunday and enjoyed praising the Lord. We had a praying mother and grandmother.

Dorothy loved to travel and went on several cruises. She always liked taking trips to warm climates where she could go swimming because she was a great swimmer. She loved going to Atlantic City. She would catch the bus down and stay for a little while and then come on back home. She made everyone crazy because we worried about her. She had no fear because she had a love of people and would make friends wherever she went. Two organizations that she was a member of were The Key Women and the NAACP. She was always visiting the sick and the homebound when she retired. She was never one for sitting around idle and she kept busy going with the seniors, playing bingo, and watching game shows like Jeopardy.

Dorothy touched many lives and will be missed. She leaves to mourn her passing, her three children, Edith O’Blige, Major Thrower Jr. Doris Owens: two foster twins Gretchen Green and Germaine Green; six grandchildren, Stanley O’Blige and wife Yuko O’Blige, Tybee O’Blige and wife Connie O’Blige, Paul Sampson, Nina Owens, Zaire Thrower, Andrea Thrower; one brother, Joseph Shaw and one sister, Veronica Williams; 10 Greatgrands and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.


Lovingly Submitted

The Family

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