Evelyn Geraldine Doby

Evelyn Geraldine Mays Doby passed peacefully from this life into the arms of the Lord on Thursday, January 26 in Raleigh, North Carolina at the age of 99. Evelyn was born the daughter of Leola and Arnard “Jess” Mays on May 16, 1923 in Bluefield, West Virginia. For Evelyn, family and faith were paramount. She and her husband James were married 67 years when he passed away in 2014. They had two children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Evelyn was quiet, sensitive, caring, diligent, and unwaveringly faithful. She excelled at creating stability and providing care for her family and loved ones. Evelyn attended McLain’s Business College right after high school and worked as a phone operator, clerk, secretary, and bookkeeper, eventually landing at Southern Office Supply, where she was the longest working employee at the time of her retirement. She also used her bookkeeping skills to serve her beloved Fincastle Lane First Church of God family for decades. After almost 90 years of life in Bluefield, Evelyn and Jim moved to Raleigh, NC in 2012 to live with their daughter. Evelyn’s greatest joy was babies, and she loved spending her final years snuggling and rocking her great-grandchildren. Evelyn is survived by her children - Jamie and Eric (Vickie); her grandchildren - Jessica, Matthew (Janelle), Taylor (Nick), and David; her great-grandchildren - Matthew “Knox”, Rosalie Mays, and Harrison; her brother Charles (Emma Jean); and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her siblings Sherlyn “Buster”, Maxine (Clarence), and Arnold “Buddy” (Arbana). Visitation will be held at Mercer Funeral Home, 1231 West Cumberland Road, Bluefield, WV, on Friday, February 3 from 12-2pm. The funeral will be held immediately after at 2pm, officiated by Reverend Dr. Marty Duffell of Hope EPC Raleigh. Graveside service will follow at Monte Vista Park Cemetery, 3640 Maple Acres Rd, Bluefield, WV. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to First Church of God, 303 Fincastle Ln, Bluefield, VA 24605, or Hope Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 4911 Green Rd #101, Raleigh, NC 27616.

Evelyn Geraldine Doby

May 16, 1923 - January 26, 2023