DOROTHA FAYE MOORMAN LIGMAN
went to be with Jesus on December 23, 2020, just in time to celebrate His birthday. Dorotha Faye (aka “Dottie” or “Dorth”) was born in Okolona, Ark., on August 28, 1923, and her love for her hometown and Clark County remained throughout her life. She was even dubbed “The Okolona Rose” by friends and family! She grew up on her family farm and proudly graduated from Okolona High School. After graduation, Dottie moved to Hope to attend Business College and then on to Little Rock for work. Her first job was at the Ordnance Plant in Jacksonville during WWII making detonators for the war. She then worked at MM Cohn and later for the Veterans Administration. While working at the Ordnance Plant, Dottie attended an AOP dance (even though she didn’t dance!), where she met her future husband, Robert Ligman. After dating a few years, they married on January 1, 1947.
In 1951, in what she called her “proudest moment,” she gave birth to her only daughter, Kay, the “joy of her life.” When Kay went to school, Dottie transitioned from her role as stayat-home mother to “fill-in” part time at the front desk of Arkansas Pediatric Clinic. She often joked that the doctors couldn’t fire her because they had never hired her! That “fill-in” position lasted 46 years, during which Dottie faithfully opened the office every morning, made coffee, answered phones, arranged appointments for several doctors, and welcomed and signed-in patients. Dr. Gil Buchanan notes she was truly the “face of Arkansas Pediatric Clinic,” bringing joy and fun to the office. She even earned the nickname “Doctor Dottie,” although her nieces and nephews never trusted her to write their prescriptions!
Although her family and work were huge parts of Dottie’s life, the most important thing to her was her relationship with Jesus. She loved the Lord and served Him faithfully. Dottie attended First Church of the Nazarene in Little Rock where she was a Sunday School teacher, Bible study participant, Missionary Society member, and later a greeter for all those coming to church. She also enjoyed many cross-country bus trips in later years with the Prime Timers. As a special group of life-long friends, they traveled from coast to coast, seeing many sights and experiencing much laughter and crazy pranks together. Dottie served as an encouragement to the choir and pastor during services by reliably sitting in the front of the church. Her love for God overflowed from her as she shared Jesus with many people, even continuing in her final days in the nursing home where she regularly asked the nurses, “Do you know Jesus?”
Additionally, Dottie was an avid follower of the Arkansas Travelers baseball team. She and her girlfriends attended games and sought autographs and pictures from the players. Later she became a faithful Razorback fan, calling the hogs during football and basketball seasons and hosting game-watching parties. Even in years when the teams struggled, her enthusiasm and support never wavered.
Dottie was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Verna Moorman; her husband, Robert Ligman; and her siblings: Catherine Kelly, Eloise Grier, Evelyn Wright, Lemuel Moorman, and Bill Moorman. She is survived by her daughter, Kay Daniels; her granddaughters: Lindsey Wheeler (Chris), Lauren Pardue (Corby), Leah Jacobs (Mike); her great-grandchildren: Eliana Wheeler, Harper Pardue, Henley Pardue, Cohen Jacobs, and Keller Jacobs; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Dottie loved life and loved people. She brought laughter and joy wherever she went. Even in her final days in a nursing facility, the nurses said she always had a smile for them. Although she was small in stature, she leaves an enormous hole in our hearts, and our lives will never be the same. Dottie served her family and her Lord with an ever-present smile. Undoubtedly, she heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” on Wednesday evening as she met her Savior face to face.
Mother, we love you and will miss you so much. But we know we will see you again. Save us a seat.
There will be a visitation at Griffin Leggett Healey and Roth
Funeral Home on Wednesday December 30th from 6-8 p.m.
Dottie’s graveside service will be Thursday afternoon, December 31, at 4 p.m. at Pinecrest Cemetery.