Senior Adult Ministry: Senior Spotlight

Interview by Sam Thompson

Dorothy Brandenburg Handley was born in Athens on Nov. 27, 1931. Dot and her family lived at 420  Boulevard not far from First Presbyterian Church. Dot lived through the 1930s Depression and WorldWar II. She remembers being at school in 1938 when her teacher brought a radio to hear the reports of Hitler invading Poland. It was during the war that the street car tracks on Boulevard were pulled up and  the metal used to support our war efforts. Dot also remembers the Scutter house that use to occupy the corner of Hancock and Lumpkin St. before the downtown post office was built next door to our church.

Dot and Norman Handley eloped and were married in Calhoun Falls, SC. Norman served in the 82nd Airborne and after the war he worked in real estate. Dot began working for Southern Bell – we now know it as AT&T. She “loves figures” and found herself assigned to support positions in engineering, accounting and
many other departments. She was called the “cat lady” because her cat Midnight had quite a few litters of kittens. Dot’s current four legged companion is Priscilla. Dot tells us many of her phone calls begin with, “How is Priscilla?” Ask Dot about when and how Priscilla joined her household and the connection to the Apostle Paul – it’s quite a story!

Dot loves First Presbyterian Church where she has been a member for 52 years. She considers it her home. She has worked with the youth, youth choir and delivered Meals on Wheels. She has also been a caregiver for her mother, daddy, husband, aunt and brother and continues caring for her sister, who is a First Presbyterian member. You may see Dot on Sunday morning as she faithfully serves our church by collecting the attendance and collection from Sunday School classes. On Monday morning she returns to the church where she puts those years of accounting to work assisting Laura McHugh, our staff accountant. Thank you, Dot!

Dot remembers that her daddy had “the patience of Job” and that he saw to it that their family observed Sunday as a day of rest.  Faith has always been a part of her life and her favorite hymns are: What a Friend We Have in Jesus, and Joy to the World.  Her favorite scripture is John 3:16 and the life lesson she mentioned was:  Love is the greatest & Faith comes from love.  Dot has always believed: “God was with me.”

 
Dot is an amazing member of our First Presbyterian Church family, thank you Dot for all the ways you have served and continue to serve.