Dorothy Jean Towe

SIKESTON — Dorothy Jean Burton Towe, age 86, died April 6, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.

She was born Oct. 3, 1932, in Johnson County, Ark., to the late Earl and Violet Cato Burton. She was of the Baptist faith.

She was married to Robert Cecil Towe on April 17, 1950; he preceded her in death on March 18, 1970.

She was a foster parent for numerous special needs children throughout her lifetime and also a Foster Grandparent at the Morehouse Elementary School.

She is survived by three sons, Gary Joe (Alice) Towe, David (Carol) Towe, and Ronald Dale (Barbara Ann) Towe all of Sikeston; two daughters, Debbie Towe (Barry) Killian and Barbara Towe Zook all of Sikeston; 17 grandchildren, Charlene Towe, John Andrew Towe, Marsha Towe Baker, Mindy Towe Dummerth, Justin Towe, Ben Towe, Timothy Chad Towe, Brian Towe, Shawn Towe, Jeromy Towe, Roy Hodgkiss, Billy Joe Hodgkiss, Darren Killian, Mandy Lewis Dennis, Cindy Lewis, Blaine Zook, and Kristina Zook; 36 great-grandchildren; two special nieces, Sheila Burton Straton and Sherry Towe Riley; a foster child she raised from birth, Lori Miller; six brothers, Daniel (Shorty) Burton, Terry Burton, Garry Burton, Johnny Burton, James Burton, and Billy Burton; three sisters, Sue Moore, Brenda Smith and Helen Sterling; and many precious nieces and nephews she thought the world of.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by four brothers, JC Burton, Louie Burton, Glenn Burton, and Kenneth Burton; one sister, Linda Smith; and her son-in-law, Garry Zook.

Visitation will be at Ponder Funeral Home on Friday, April 12 from 10 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m. The Reverend Ken Shoemaker, pastor of Hooe Baptist Church, will be officiating.

Interment will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons and honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters.

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Memorial contributions may be made to: Kenny Rogers Children’s Center, 300 Floyd Ave., Sikeston, MO 63801 or to St. Jude Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101.

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