Dorothy Mae Sawyer-Moon

On September 29, 1935, Dorothy Mae Sawyer was born in rural Arlington, Tennessee to James Griffith Sawyer and Oswald Tucker Sawyer. She was the fourth of seven children born to this union. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at the age of 12, becoming a member of Hammond Grove Baptist Church. This officially began a long life of faith. At an early age, Dorothy showed a high aptitude for learning. Her father was especially proud of her academic accomplishments and would tack her papers to the wall to show visitors to the Sawyer home. The school librarian once praised Dorothy for having read every book in the library, and her teachers sometimes called upon her to teach the class in their absence. Dorothy enjoyed singing, acting, writing essays, poetry, sewing and playing basketball throughout high school. She was well liked and was voted "Most Dramatic" by her Senior class. It was no surprise when she graduated from Barrett's Chapel High School in 1954 as the Class Valedictorian. Amongst other honors she received were full academic scholarships to Fisk University and LeMoyne College. Because of continued family hardships following her father's sudden death, she decided to enroll close to home at LeMoyne College in Memphis, Tennessee, where she majored in English and worked part-time jobs to assist with family needs. Dorothy was fiercely protective of her family. During this time she married her high school sweetheart, William Branch. To this union a daughter, Melva Lisa, was born.

After graduating and obtaining her teacher certification, Dorothy taught in Shelby County Public Schools. Although she could make her own clothes, she enjoyed being able to afford the latest in professional fashions with her new income. She also insisted on wearing high heels every day. She felt that they helped her to have greater authority over her students because of her small stature. While she was a stylish Southern belle on the outside, she had the heart of an activist evidenced when she refused to move to the back of a Memphis city bus. She was arrested and booked, but bond was soon posted for her. Throughout her life , Dorothy protected and fought for justice for oppressed and underprivileged persons- speaking out, writing letters, going to court and other acts of service and support.

When the family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, Dorothy began an exemplary 33 - year career with Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County Public Schools as a K-12 teacher. She influenced many little lives at John Early, Ford Greene, Cole, Amqui, Morny, Joelton and Tom Joy schools. Dorothy was a nurturing and imaginative teacher who often used music and creative writing to encourage optimal results from her students. She taught them invaluable life skills through discovery in reading, story writing, taking care of rabbits, goldfish, chameleons and birds. She happily accepted additional roles as a Music teacher and taught handbells, recorders and xylophones to so many of her students. She took great joy in presenting the children in concerts. She was a gifted leader who was often asked to assume administrative roles, but her primary love was teaching students-particularly first graders. She later earned a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education and additional certification as a Reading Specialist from Vanderbilt University's George Peabody College for Teachers. A committed life-long learner, Dorothy received additional training in child development at Austin Peay State University and Atlanta University. One of her fondest experiences was studying literary arts abroad in Greece and Turkey.
Life dealt Dorothy some tough blows, but she was always resilient and faithful to God. Like the apostle Paul, she had learned to be content with her life as an educator and mother to Lisa, but God had even more in store for her than she could imagine. In 1976, she married a United Methodist minister and widower, Reverend James Lawrence Moon, Sr., and became a very proud step-mother to his seven children, William (Billy), Linda, James Jr.(Burt), Edward (Chet), M.P., Fletcher, and Shirley Renee. Within their union, Joy and Jessica (Lynne) were born. Dorothy continued to express her creativity in the United Methodist Church, where she played piano and organ for services and cooked for bereaved families at Seay-Hubbard UMC and the Springfield Parish until her husband retired. They then joined Clark Memorial UMC in Nashville, Tennessee, where Dorothy sang in the Sanctuary Choir, organized Lenten services and established programs and choirs for children and youth.

In 1992, the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and joined Calvary UMC. Dorothy accepted a position at Cincinnati Union Bethel as the director of a child development center. Under her leadership, a new center was opened and the handbook she created became a model for other centers within the agency. She was later promoted to Director of Head Start Programs, where she remained until her retirement in 1999. Yet Dorothy continued her life's mission- organizing programs for children, teaching Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and remaining active with the United Methodist Women at Calvary UMC. In 2015, she joined Eden Chapel United Methodist Church under the pastorate of her spiritual son, Peter Edward Matthews. Although her health often prevented her from attending Sunday services, she stayed connected by reading the newsletters and bulletins, supporting church projects, making calls and asking her daughter Lynne (the Minister of Music) lots of questions.

Dorothy was proactive about her health and always encouraged others to be the same way. She was well-known at her dialysis clinic because of her classy style, smile, kindness, generosity and diligence with her treatment regimen. Dorothy will be fondly remembered by those closest to her as an advocate for children and a passionate lover of music, literature, art and entertainment. She was a superb culinary chef and her home was always the center for family gatherings, especially Sunday dinners. Her love for her grandchildren was unapologetic and fierce as she spoiled them with love and other tokens of affection. She passed peacefully into the arms of The Lord on April 12, 2016.


Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Reverend James L. Moon Sr.; beloved daughter, Joy Lianne Moon; parents; five of her siblings, Albert, Barbara, Sadie, Ruby and James; granddaughter, Thema Moon and great-grandson Cain Gray. We are here to uplift her memory and continue to love one another; Her sister, Elder Nettie Lester; Her children, Jessica Lynne Moon, Lisa (Michael) McGee, Renee (Victor) Franklin, Fletcher (Marilyn) Moon, Edward {Chet} Moon, M.P. Moon, James (Carolyn) Moon Jr., Linda (James) Ealy, and William (Paulette) Moon; Her grandchildren, Kamilah Aisha Moon, Niya Evonne Moon, Lakie Moon, Jamil Moon, Alexander McDonald, Jianne Dorothy-Lynne McDonald, David Ealy, Phillip Ealy, Barbara Hopkins, Gwendolyn Gash, Mailakia (Kia) Moon, Victor Leon Cyrus-Franklin, Christopher Franklin, Linda Furtado, Catherine Cain, Cheshire Moon, Najja Moon, and Imani Moon; two spiritual grandchildren, Ellen Catherine Pierce and Justice Dunn, great -grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends, including Dr. Ernestine Pickens Glass, Mrs. Betty Otey, Mr. & Mrs. Tony Hall, Rev. Joe and Mrs. Bettye Shelton, Mrs. Mary Oglesby and Dr. Shirley A. R. Lewis.


Family Greeting

APR 23. 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)

College Hill Presbyterian Church

5742 Hamilton Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45224

Memorial Service

APR 23. 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (ET)

College Hill Presbyterian Church

5742 Hamilton Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45224

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