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Thomas Eidson Dorris
Thomas Eidson Dorris, age 98, of Circleville, Ohio and formerly of
Greenville, Ohio, passed away peacefully in his sleep at 6:10 am on
December 11, 2015. Thomas was born December 4, 1917 in
Adairville, Kentucky to the late Perry and Annie Mae (Eidson) Dorris.
Tom is survived by daughters & sons-in law, Martha Frances Dorris
& Larry Bennen of Delaware, Ohio; Carmen Yolanda “Landa” Dorris
& Thomas Patrick Astley of Circleville, Ohio; and Tomi Lynn Dorris
of Circleville, Ohio; granddaughter, Erin Elizabeth Dorris-Astley of
Cleveland, Ohio; sisters Virginia Fitzgerald of Florida and Ruby Bolt
of South Carolina; and scores of “adopted” daughters and sons.
In addition to his parents, Thomas is preceded in death by his wife of
66 years, Martha; brothers, James and William Dorris; and sister,
Willie Ann Crawford.
Tom was a World War II veteran who served in the First Engineer’s
Special Brigade. He completed four D-Day invasions in North Africa,
Sicily, Italy and Normandy (Utah Beach) and participated in the Battle
of the Bulge. His unit then moved to Germany where he was seriously
wounded. He spent 6 weeks in an Army hospital in Germany until he was
able to return to the United States.
Even though Tom wanted to be sent to a VA facility in Nashville,
Tennessee, for rehabilitation, he was moved to a VA Hospital in
Memphis, which specialized in the treatment of traumatic head injuries.
He begrudgingly went to a fish fry at a local state park where he met
the love of his life, Martha. They married on January 17, 1946. He
applied to receive GI benefits to open a small business in Mississippi
but was tested and informed that he was going to college instead.
Tom attended Northwest Mississippi Junior College for two years and
then enrolled at Mississippi State University. Martha worked at a local
shoe store and as a secretary at the university to help Tom get through
school. He was an excellent scholar and earned admission to Phi Kappa
Phi. He graduated with a BS, summa cum laude, in agricultural
engineering in 1951.
After graduation, Tom worked as an agricultural engineer for many years
with the John Blue Company of Huntsville, Alabama. He was instrumental
in introducing the use of anhydrous ammonia to the Midwestern United
States.
In 1955, Tom and Martha left Mississippi to move to Greenville, Ohio
with their two daughters, Francy, age 9 and Landa, 1. Tomi came
along two years later. Tom would go on the road to sell farm
machinery during the week while Martha tended the girls at home.
Weekends and summers were spent with his girls.
Tom doted on his daughters and granddaughter. He was very proud
of his service in the United States Army and was a nine time President
of the First Engineers Special Brigade Association. In 1994, he
received a Liberation of France medal commemorating the 50th
anniversary of the Normandy invasion from the Federation of French War
Veterans. He cherished his receipt, in 2009, of the Bronze Order of the
de Fleury Medal, the Army Engineer Association’s highest honor.
Tom was a long-time member of the First United Methodist in
Greenville. He was also a member of the American Legion in
Greenville.
A funeral service will be held at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, December 14,
2015 at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville with Pastor Angela
Meeks officiating. The family will receive friends on Monday from 4:00
to 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Entombment will take place at 11:00
A.M. on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at Kingwood Memorial Park in Lewis
Center, Ohio with Pastor Joe Payne officiating. Memorial contributions
may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project P.O. Box 758517 Topeka,
Kansas 66675. Condolences for the family may be expressed through www.zecharbailey.com
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