Dorthelia Moore Burton

Dorthelia Moore Burton, 90, graced the gates of heaven on Monday, May 18, 2026. She was born on July 4, 1935, to Grady L. Moore and Inez Hicks Moore in Leake County, MS.

Dorthelia (Dot) was raised in Sebastopol, MS until the summer before her senior year in high school. Her family moved to Jackson, MS at that point and she graduated from Central High School in 1953. She spent the last 35 years of her life in Florence, MS apart from a couple of years in Saucier, MS with her husband Ira. She returned to Florence in April 2022.

Dot retired from the Mississippi Department of Education after 25 years of service where she made many life-long friends. Her prior career was at Lamar Life Insurance Company in Jackson for several years. She was an active member of Briar Hill Baptist Church since July 1995 and loved spending time reading her Bible and studying God’s Word. She was very involved with her Sunday School class, active in M.A.G.I.C. Club, and assisted with VBS every year while she was able. Family was a priority for her, and she adored her three grandchildren. She especially loved baking with them when they were young. When she was still active, she enjoyed square dancing and traveling as much as possible with her husband Joe. She also had a cat, Gracie, who she held close to her heart.

Dot is preceded in death by her parents, Grady L. Moore and Inez Hicks Moore; her second husband, Joe Parish; her sister Oneta Bogan; her nieces Debbie Howie and Diane Scott; and her sister-in-law Diane Moore.

She is survived by her husband, Ira Burton; her son Greg Jacobs (Caroline); her brothers Jerry Moore (Mary) and Larry Moore; her grandchildren, Katherine, Anna, and Ben Jacobs; nephews Dave Howie, Shannon, Clint, Jason and Daniel Moore; a host of great-nieces and nephews; step-son Dan Burton (Melissa); step-daughter Julie Burton; step-grandchildren, Abby Burton, Kayla Burton, Will Burton, and Madilyn Dickinson and other family members and close friends who will miss her greatly.

Pallbearers: Ben Jacobs, Dan Burton, Will Burton, Jason Moore, Shannon Moore, and Clint Moore. Honorary Pallbearers are Dave Howie and Daniel Moore.

The family would like to thank the staff at Villa South Assisted Living in Florence for their wonderful love and care for Dot during her four years stay at the facility. The family would also like to thank Vital Caring Hospice for their care for her since July 2025.

A visitation for Dot will take place from 4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Chancellor Funeral Home in Florence, MS. The next day, Friday, May 22, 2026, Briar Hill Baptist Church will honor Ms. Dot with a chapel service at 11:00 A.M. with visitation from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service. A graveside service will immediately follow at the Briar Hill cemetery.