Doris Mescal Conner Courtney was born on June 10, 1929 and died on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, in Gloucester due to complications of Parkinson’s disease. She was the fifth of 10 children born to her parents, William and Doris Conner of Gloucester Point. Doris graduated from Achilles High School, Longwood College, and UVA receiving her Master’s Degree in Education. Her first year of teaching was at Reedville High School. The rest of her years were spent in Westmoreland County, both at the grade school level (Cople) and in school administration. It was there that Doris met Billy Courtney. They married in 1952 and raised one daughter, Nancy. Their family life on Royal Oak Farm was precious to them. Two years after Billy’s death, Doris moved away from the Northern Neck where she had lived for more than 40 years, and came back to Gloucester, her childhood home, to be near family. Beyond her time as a teacher, Doris was very active in church and various civic organizations. After retirement, she traveled extensively with friends. Doris visited all 50 states and explored the world from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from China’s Great Wall to the Amazon, the Panama Canal, Thailand, and Morocco, many trips to Europe, and many cruises. She was a wonderful seamstress and quilter. Her delicate pie crusts were legendary. For Christmas, people were delighted to receive a jar of her pickles. A symbol of Doris’s life was her huge dining table made of walnut from the family farm. That table hosted many card games, and wonderful meals for friends and family, served as a cutting board for all kinds of sewing projects, and was the center of much laughter and storytelling. Doris was a classy and independent woman, a role model, and was cherished.

She was preceded in death by her parents and by her siblings, Bill, Byron, Mildred, Gene, and Stuart. Doris’s husband, Billy Courtney of Kinsale, died in 1996. She is survived by siblings, Bessie, Patsy, Allmond (Susan), and Margaret (Bob). She is also survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Sam Wilson of Gloucester, and granddaughter, Cortney (Ed) of Gloucester. Doris leaves behind a large family of nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law, and many friends. The family extends special thanks to the staff at Gloucester House. Doris received excellent care during her time there. The people who work there are skillful, compassionate, and cheerful. The family received friends on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, from 6-7 p.m. at Hogg Funeral Home, Gloucester Point. A funeral service conducted by the Rev. Mark Lawrence will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at Carmel United Methodist Church, 5729 Sandy Point Road, Kinsale, Va. 22488; interment will follow in the church cemetery. In memory of our loved one, please donate to a charity of your choice or kinsalefoundation.org.
Services under the direction of Hogg Funeral Home.