(Editor’s note: This letter to the editor is written in remembrance of Dorothy Royal.)

Dear Ms. Dorothy,

What an awesome life you lived. How many lives you touched, always for Jesus. It was such a privilege to spend time with you in your last years. Your sweet loving, kind spirit was there until you left us on Thursday morning.

You were there when a young mother, of four, house burned. You brought her one of your beautiful tweed suits because you didn’t want her to “miss church.” You also brought a handmade quilt to keep someone warm…later she learned it was the only quilt that you ever helped quilt.

You baked cookies and sent to children whose mother was at UNC Hospitals battling cancer. You even went to UNC Hospitals to visit her.

You formed a Salemburg Boys Choir and not only taught them to sing but you taught them manners and to always love Jesus. Now many of those boys are singing in choirs all over North Carolina and maybe the United States. You paid for red jackets for them to wear and they were so proud.

They came back on Sunday and were your ball bearers…they were proud to know you because you touched their lives.

No one person knows the extent of your love and generosity, because you didn’t want it known. You were working for your Lord, quietly.

There is a beautiful Steinway piano in the chapel of Campbell College because of you and Dr. Donnie. Help for the Salemburg Christian Food Bank, nursing scholarships at Sampson Community College, donation to many places that I do not know about.

So many notes of love and encouragement and phone call and visits…always wanting everyone to know your Lord and Savior…many of us have all those notes tucked away in a special place.

You never had children of your own but many children loved you. You and a precious little girl were at the funeral home at the same time. Someone commented that you and her went to heaven close together!

Now you are with Jesus and what a celebration that must be. You worked almost 104 years for heaven. You touched so many lives.

Thank you for touching mine. I will never forget you.

Love,

Sonja McLamb

Salemburg