Mauryne Prewitt Dugger

Mauryne "Mimi" Prewitt Dugger of Willis, Virginia. “My God and my All” these words were at the core of the daily life of Mauryne “Mimi” Prewitt Dugger, age 85, born July 25, 1926 in Jacksonville, FL, who firmly believed “but Thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy…” On Sunday, March 4, 2012, she answered His call, heard the voice of the great Amen, and peacefully passed into His presence surrounded by loving family and friends. She was preceded in death by: her husband, Emmett Lee Dugger, Sr., her son, Byron Deane Dugger, and her grandson, Mathew Andersen Dugger.

Her last days with us were filled with grace as she continued to teach us with her constant concern for others, her gentle words of gratitude and her warm love. There was a sweet constant flow of gentle friends and family from all over the country who came to sit by her side, praying, reading, laughing or quietly weeping. Mimi is survived by her siblings: Louise Bell, Ann Newbold, Helen Davenport, Deb Schlinder and Matthew Prewitt; Children: Suzanne Dugger Church (Rev. Peter Church), Emmett Lee Dugger, Jr. (Tina Dugger), Becky Margret Ganzhorn and Dorian Maury Dugger (Swede McBroom); fifteen grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren with another on the way; and numerous family and friends whom she dearly loved.

Her life was a journey of loss and redemption, separation and reconciliation from which she forged a love of God which deepened over the years. In her later years, she started daily contemplative spiritual practices which nurtured her faith, her love of God and her spiritual community. Mimi was always an active member of the Presbyterian Church wherever she lived, and she lived many places. She was President of the Women of the Church at First Presbyterian in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. The 16 years she lived in Jacksonville, FL, she was a member of Riverside Presbyterian. Her last days were in Willis, VA where she attended Buffalo Mountain Presbyterian Church.

Mimi was a highly accomplished lady: a teacher, a life-long student, articulate, well educated and widely read; she grew lovely roses and had beautiful gardens; she was a wonderful cook and seamstress as well as a designer and creator of superb handwork. In Winston-Salem, Mauryne owned Needle Arts Etc., a retail shop, where she also taught needle point, handwork, and cross-stitch. She was a TV host of a local show in Roanoke, VA called “Mondays with Mauryne.” She had eclectic tastes in art, music, and theater. She traveled widely, including pre-Castro Cuba, Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii.

Her passion was connecting with others in all walks of life; a devout believer in the equality of all people regardless of their education, religion, nationality or position in society. She taught her children to treat all as welcomed guests, including folks working in the yard, or behind the counter at a local K & W. Mimi, being a wonderful listener, loved to visit with “good conversationalists.”

Mauryne will be missed, but her vibrant memory will continue to be a source of consolation and guidance for us all. Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be sent to New River Valley Carilion Clinic Hospice, 707 Randolph St., Suite 251, Radford, VA 24141-2429. Visitation with be held 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10, 2012 at Maberry Funeral Home, Floyd, VA with Memorial Service at 4 p.m. A Celebration of Mimi’s life will be held Saturday, June 30, 2012 near Buffalo Mountain in Willis, VA.