Dorothy Neal Kessler, age 101, died Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

She was born in in Rainelle, West Virginia on September 28, 1916 to the late Benjamin Franklin Neal and Etta Jane Fleshman Neal.  In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husbands Syble Franklin Hendricks and Cecil Emmett Kessler; son Syble Franklin Hendricks Jr., great-grandchild Gabriel Dempster; siblings Lola Ames, Cliff Neal, Mary Neal, Helen Hess; and half-siblings Herb Sevy and Tressie Sevy.

Mrs. Kessler was a member of Cool Springs Baptist Church.  She was known as the “yeast roll lady” while working 13 years in the cafeterias of St. Claire School and Lee Senior High School.  She worked 22 years in the Central Carolina Hospital Gift Shop and sold AVON for 44 years.

She is survived by two daughters Patrecia “Pat” Porter and husband John of Sanford, Myra Kessler Bryant of Sanford; sister Imogene N. Pettrey of Princeton, WV; grandchildren Sybil P. Bolt and husband Brad, Cecilia P. Adams and husband Dexter, David Porter and wife Regina, Aimee B. Petrarca and husband Curt, Karyn B. Kidd and husband Brad; great-grandchildren Adam Adams, Ellen Dale A. Blanchard, Wesley and Matthew Kidd, Benjamin Porter, Kessler and Quillen Petrarca; five great-great-grandchildren Kyle Howe, Dylan and Seth Adams, Judah and Ariella Blanchard; and a dear friend and “adopted daughter” Joyce Marsh of Sanford.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 2:00 PM at Cool Springs Baptist Church with Pastor Matt Martin officiating.  The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service.

Please make memorials in her memory to The Alzheimer’s Association of Eastern NC, 3739 National Drive, Suite 110, Raleigh, NC 27612 or The American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22202.

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