Dorothy Winters

Dorothy Hitt Fehler Winters, age 84, of Tuscaloosa, passed away on March 5, 2017. Dot was born March 10, 1932, to the late M.C. and Annie Earle Hitt. Services will be Wednesday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 7 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the church.She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ernest G. Fehler; her husband, L.D. Winters; her daughter, Chanda Fehler; and her grandson, Carson Sherrill.She is survived by her children, Allison Sherrill (Robert) of Tuscaloosa, Ernest G. Fehler (Krista) Jr. of Hoover and Kristin Fehler O'Connor of Hoover; her step-daughter, Carolyn Brown (Paul) of Houston, Texas; her grandchildren, Marta Sherrill Zinkand (David), Connor Sherrill, Savannah Fehler, Carson Fehler, Galen O'Connor, and Merit O'Connor; and her great-grandchild, Ella Zinkand.Dot grew up in the West End neighborhood, graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1948 and graduated from The University of Alabama in 1951, where she was a member of Delta Zeta social sorority. She later earned her Master's Degree from UA in Library Science. She taught for many years as an elementary school librarian at 32nd Avenue Elementary (now Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary) and at Northington Elementary. She was involved in her children's school PTAs and in Alpha Delta Kappa, teacher's honorary sorority. She was a life-long member of First United Methodist Church and was instrumental in organizing the church library.Dot will be remembered for her strength, her influence on the lives of many, many children, her love of her church, her love of The University of Alabama, her avid reading, her ability to appreciate joy and humor in day-to-day life, her love of the Gulf Coast, her generous spirit and her love of her family and friends.Pallbearers will be Connor Sherrill, David Zinkand, Carson Fehler, Galen O'Connor, J. Darrell O'Connor and John W. Jessup. Honorary pallbearers are friends of Beverly Heights, Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth McLendon, Susan McLendon, Sharon Apperson, Kirsten Hicks, Jeff and Lisa Rivers, life-long friend, Martha Ann Lackey and special cousins, Charles Land, Horace Hitt and Rosaland Hughes. The family expresses gratitude to Dot's friends and caregivers at Reliant Renal Care, Morning Pointe Assisted Living and Aspire Rehabilitation.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to First United Methodist Church, the West Alabama Food Bank or an elementary school library.