Obituary for Wallace Dorris
Wallace “Wally” Dayton Dorris, 78, a prior long-term resident of Greers Ferry, AR and a new resident of Loudon County, TN, walked into the arms of our Lord on the early morning of January 11, 2023, in Southaven, MS.
Wally was born in Memphis, TN on March 20, 1944. He graduated from Whitehaven High School and attended Memphis State University. He dutifully served his Country in the United States Army in the Vietnam war. After serving his Country and being honorably discharged, he moved back to Memphis and began his 32-year career with Xerox Corporation. He was a lover of life and enjoyed the lake most of all. He and his family spent over 42 years on Greers Ferry Lake in Greers Ferry, AR, which was one of his favorite places in the world. He was passionate from a young age with water sports (particularly water skiing) and later in life became an accomplished Bass and fly fisherman. His other activities included flying (licensed commercial pilot), scuba diving (certified dive master), racing drag boats, and skydiving. Wally was a skilled mechanic and loved to work on anything that needed it. His friends would often comment “he could fix anything except a broken heart and the crack of dawn.” To know Wally was to know all his stories related to his “9 Lives.”
Wally is survived by his wife Christie Dorris, his son Jim (Stacy) Dorris of Hernando, MS, his daughter Karen Michelle Beyer of Lexington, KY, his stepchildren Neal Stehling of Knoxville, TN, Debbie Stehling of Wilmington, NC, Dawn (Dennis) Waddle of Hernando, MS, and his God-daughter Christy (Dan) Parkins-Perez of St. Thomas Virgin Islands. He will be deeply missed by ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his mother Doris Dorris, his father Richard Dorris, his brother Richard Alden Dorris, II, and his best friend and blood brother James “Jimmy” Parkins.
At his request, a celebration of life ceremony will be held at his beloved Greers Ferry Lake during Spring 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Wally’s long-time church home of West Side First Baptist Church in Greers Ferry, AR.
The family ask you to join them in celebrating the incredible life of Wally, and to dissolve any grief felt with gratitude and loving memories of his big smile and loving spirit.
Wally was born in Memphis, TN on March 20, 1944. He graduated from Whitehaven High School and attended Memphis State University. He dutifully served his Country in the United States Army in the Vietnam war. After serving his Country and being honorably discharged, he moved back to Memphis and began his 32-year career with Xerox Corporation. He was a lover of life and enjoyed the lake most of all. He and his family spent over 42 years on Greers Ferry Lake in Greers Ferry, AR, which was one of his favorite places in the world. He was passionate from a young age with water sports (particularly water skiing) and later in life became an accomplished Bass and fly fisherman. His other activities included flying (licensed commercial pilot), scuba diving (certified dive master), racing drag boats, and skydiving. Wally was a skilled mechanic and loved to work on anything that needed it. His friends would often comment “he could fix anything except a broken heart and the crack of dawn.” To know Wally was to know all his stories related to his “9 Lives.”
Wally is survived by his wife Christie Dorris, his son Jim (Stacy) Dorris of Hernando, MS, his daughter Karen Michelle Beyer of Lexington, KY, his stepchildren Neal Stehling of Knoxville, TN, Debbie Stehling of Wilmington, NC, Dawn (Dennis) Waddle of Hernando, MS, and his God-daughter Christy (Dan) Parkins-Perez of St. Thomas Virgin Islands. He will be deeply missed by ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his mother Doris Dorris, his father Richard Dorris, his brother Richard Alden Dorris, II, and his best friend and blood brother James “Jimmy” Parkins.
At his request, a celebration of life ceremony will be held at his beloved Greers Ferry Lake during Spring 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Wally’s long-time church home of West Side First Baptist Church in Greers Ferry, AR.
The family ask you to join them in celebrating the incredible life of Wally, and to dissolve any grief felt with gratitude and loving memories of his big smile and loving spirit.