Emma Ruth Blackmon Dooley

Mrs. Emma Ruth Blackmon Dooley was planted in this earthly garden on August 25, 1938, in Lincolnton, Georgia, as the second of eight precious children born to the late Mr. John Wesley Blackmon and Mrs. Letha Wynn Blackmon. From the very beginning, her life blossomed with quiet strength, love, and devotion. On Saturday, February 7, 2026, God, the Master Gardener, saw that His garden needed another beautiful bloom and gently called her home from The Reserve at Appling in Appling, Georgia.

At an early age, Emma accepted Christ as her personal Savior and united with New Tabernacle Baptist Church, where her faith took deep root and flourished throughout her life. She was educated in the Lincoln County school system through her middle grades and carried with her the wisdom and resilience that would help her grow through every season of life.

Emma was gainfully employed for many years with Oxford Manufacturing until its closing. She later worked faithfully for 23 years with the State of Georgia under the Department of Natural Resources at Elijah Clark State Park, where she eventually retired. Like a careful gardener, she tended to her responsibilities with dedication and pride, nurturing every opportunity placed in her hands.

She united in holy matrimony with the love of her life, Willie Dooley, who preceded her in death. Together, they cultivated a life rooted in commitment and devotion.

Emma found her greatest joy in tending to what she loved most—her family and her flowers. She delighted in spending time with her grandchildren and her beloved baby sister, Glenda. She enjoyed keeping her home in order, working in her yard, and planting flowers—each bloom a reflection of her gentle spirit. Just as she nurtured her garden, she nurtured her family with patience, care, and unconditional love.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her devoted husband; and her siblings, Geneva Smith, Iris Mae Norman, Willie James Blackmon, and John Wesley Blackmon, Jr.

Left to cherish the seeds of love she planted are her devoted son, Jessie James Norman, Jr., of Lincolnton, Georgia; her loving daughter, Emma Jean Dixon of Charlotte, North Carolina; three sisters, Idell Andrews, Mary Blackmon Andrews, and Glenda Dean McCord, all of Lincolnton, Georgia; five grandchildren, Tameica Carter and Lakethia Norman of Washington, Georgia; Alliah Lowe of Thomson, Georgia; Crystal Norman of Atlanta, Georgia; and Monique Funderburk of Charlotte, North Carolina; eight great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Her life was a well-tended garden—planted in faith, watered with love, and blooming in kindness. Though her earthly season has ended, the seeds she planted will continue to blossom for generations to come.