Dora May Meredith

Beloved mother and loyal friend, Dora May Meredith, age 94 of Rockford, was welcomed home by God on December 31, 2023. She will be greatly missed for her keen intelligence, generous hospitality, and compassionate and graceful spirit.

Dora May was born Feb. 11, 1929 in Belvidere, Il. She graduated from Rockford East High School and attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, majoring in French and Spanish. Dora May married Robert Meredith on June 23, 1950, and they had two daughters. After her divorce in 1966, she obtained her master’s degree in library science from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb. She served as the librarian at Auburn High School and then at East High School, retiring in 1989. After retirement she worked part time at the Cherry Valley Library for several years.

As a dedicated member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Dora May served as an Elder and on the Altar Guild, the Pastor Nominating Committee, and the New Building Committee. She managed the church library, coordinated weekly worship flowers, planted the prairie garden, and volunteered wherever needed. An accomplished musician, Dora May played the piano and the flute and sang in the church choir for nearly her entire life. She also played her flute in area ensembles and the Rockford Symphonic Band.

Passionate about serving others, she was the first woman appointed to the Rockford School Board in the 1960s. She also raised funds for the American Heart Association and the Rockford Women’s Club, was a Girl Scout leader, and volunteered at the Rock River Valley Food Pantry for 12 years until the age of 92.

Dora May’s curiosity and adventurous spirit led her to travel the world, visiting more than 30 countries from Italy and Spain to Egypt and Peru, from Norway and Ireland to Turkey and the Galapagos Islands. At the age of 90 she went on a safari in Tanzania.

Dora May was an avid gardener and turned her backyard into a floral oasis. She also sewed and quilted, played a savvy bridge game, read voraciously, and was a life-long learner. Dora May grew her own vegetables and loved to cook, and her sweet tooth, especially for chocolate, was legendary. She never served dinner without including a homemade dessert.

Dora May is survived by her daughter Shelly (Scott) McSwain; daughter Dana Meredith; granddaughter Rachel (Brian) Holt; and great-granddaughters Chandler and Kennedy.

A celebration of life will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2821 N. Bell School Rd, Rockford, on Saturday, Feb. 10, with a visitation at 2:00 and service at 3:00.

Memorials may be donated in the name of Dora May Meredith to the Wesley Willows Good Samaritan Fund (wesleywillows.org); Rock River Valley Food Pantry (rrvp.org); Northern Illinois Hospice (northernillinoishospice.org); and Westminster Presbyterian Church (westminsterchurch.cc). Express online condolences at fitzgeraldfh.com.