Dorothy Downing Holmes

Mrs. Dorothy Downing Holmes, 87, of West Memphis, died Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, at Broadway Health Care Center in West Memphis.

Born in Burdette to Marshall and Lillian Aycock, she was the owner and operator of Blytheville Telephone Service.

Dorothy was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church, where she was the organist for many years. She was a loving mother and grandmother who raised her family singlehandedly after her husband died in 1968.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, Herbert Ray Downing and Bud Holmes; two daughters, Brenda Edwards and Betty Grimmett; and a son, Jimmy Downing.

She leaves her children, Mike Downing of Marion, Gale Downing of West Memphis and Kaye Rozelle of Muskogee, Okla.; and

Numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in Elmwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Friday at Cobb Funeral Home. Condolences may be emailed to cobbfuneralhome@sbcglobal.net