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- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 10 Feb 2008.
Sunshine dominated the thankful Friday of last week and ushered in a mild weekend for our hometown to encourage celebrations and visitations, some for birthday parties. At 6 feet three and 265 pounds, Tim is an imposing figure at the Newport Community Center, yet you would not think him to be a "Momma's Boy." But he readily admits to it and is glad to share something more than a close mother-son relationship. Today, February 10, Dorothy and Tim Dockery celebrate birthdays. In 1962, the Dockerys, Daddy James, and children, were living in Newport when Tim was born that morning. "I was excited to death. Today's my birthday," she recalled of that time at Valentine-Shults Hospital. Dr. Fred Valentine Jr. delivered the big boy. It was last year at Kiwanis when I discovered they shared a birthday and put it on my calendar to follow up this year. We visited at the community center last Wednesday. Dorothy, a short woman who suffers from diabetes, at 71, has not slowed her shopping down. The daughter of Mark and Pauline Webb, she recalls growing up on White Oak and also not far from the current Western Auto. There were five children in all, all still living. Her siblings and their spouses are Geraldine, and Jim McSween; Billy Webb and Wilma; Sandy Hensley and Buck; Kathy Mayes and Joey, of Dothan, Alabama. Shortly after graduation, she married James March 21, 1955. Her working years started at Bush Brothers and then to American Enka where she was joined by James and both stayed until retirement. One of the things she recalls was cleaning the solid gold medallion spinnerets used in the nylon weaving dept. If you went to school with her in the 1950s, you know her as "Spider." An agile and quick guard she was highly regarded and became team captain at Cocke County High. She recalls that Zella Ruth Eisenhower was a cheerleader and one of her teammates was Barbara Campbell. Now, James on the other hand grew up in Jefferson County hear 0ld Highway 411. His parents were Cicero McKinley Dockery, who had married Elsie Grubb. It is from her side of the family that Tim gets his height and long, long arms. They had three boys. Like Dorothy, James has always been extremely active. He didn't retire until 1993 and then worked an additional five years for Cleo Stinnett selling cars for Stinnett Motors. In his younger years, he is 71, he was noted for his basketball coaching and referring skills. The parents' interest and skills in sports explains the children's' athletic prowess. Tim was a talented lineman and really knows football, said his Dad. The oldest of the children at 50, is Chris, who is now retired from the military. "Big Daddy," as he is called, lives with his family in Bristol. Cliff and family live in Chattanooga where he goes contract glass panel work and accounts for three of the grandchildren and one great grandchild. "He plays a lot of golf know, but he still can't beat me," chided Tim, the third child followed by Angie (Angela) Sturgill, a computer technician in Tampa, Florida, with the state. The birthdays are somewhat clustered for the family. Cliff is Feb 5, Angie Feb. 21, Chris Jan. 7. February is my favorite month too, as I celebrate on the 29th after a four-year wait. My Mom's birthday was Feb. 18. I also recently learned of another Feb. 10 celebration taking place today. Dewey Henderson called to invite us to make a photo of his mother, Virta, who turned 90 today. She was married to the later Otto Henderson. Virta is the daughter of Calvin and Ellen (Lunsford) McMahan. Virta has a sister, Vermila Harris, of Bogard. Tim and his Mom are obviously closer than birthdays. He recalled that while at college playing ball he suffered a shoulder injury and was hospitalized for surgery. When he woke up, he said, his first words were, "Where is my Momma?" She and he have always stayed in touch when apart. About 1980 after graduating from UTC, he became director of parks and recreation at South Pittsburg, a job he held until moving his family to Newport. Tim took over here as parks and recreation director Jan. 1994. Wife Margie works as administrative secretary to National Bank of Tennessee President Keith Ketterman. The Dockerys combined their genes to produce a couple more giants. Hunter, 17, is 6-feet four and 270 pounds and Dylan, 12, may eclipse that. I got to know Hunter years ago when at a Kiwanis program the discussion was on childhood diabetes. Hunter has been a diabetic since a child, but that has not hampered his football ability. These days, Dorothy still loves to shop and spend time with Geraldine on the store and entertainment circuit. James loves sports as a spectator and both enjoy their lifestyle living off O'Dell Road. They moved there about 1980. In plain talk, blowing out the candles on a shared birthday is fun, but the true family enjoyment is the celebrations around Thanksgiving and Christmas with the seven grandchildren gathered round.
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1962 - (63 years)
(Age 71 years)