Doris Wade Gandy, 87, a native of Ochlocknee, Ga., and former resident of Pensacola, Fla., passed away peacefully with her niece by her side on Monday, March 3, 2014, just days shy of her 88th birthday. She passed away at the Atmore Community Hospital’s Tender Loving Care program where she has received great care and compassion for the last nine years under the medical skill of the Lord’s servant and her physician, Dr. Jonah McIntyre.

Singing the loudest while leading the Halleluiah chorus when she reached her heavenly reward, was her devoted sister, Merle Matthews along with their beloved sisters, Cleo Hagan, Dora Hackney, Sadie Shuman, Dot Carter, her only brother, Wallace Wade, and parents John Arthur and Nora Wade. She was also predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Robert Cecil Gandy.

Survivors include her loving sister, Lysbeth Brown of Jacksonville, Florida; 21 nieces and nephews, including her Godchild and special namesake, Doris Dale Ash, Hooper W. Matthews, III of Atmore; Cindy Colville of Spanish Fort, Alabama, along with extraordinary caregivers Joyce Portis, Michelle Robbins, Jennifer Haskew, Carolyn Scott, Lucille Ankum and Cora Matthews. Jean Wilson, Jean Johnson, and Lucille Matthews, loving “senior saints” were faithful over the years in their ministry to Doris. Also feeling the loss of Doris’ smile and constant presence in their lives, are her wonderful family at the Atmore Community Hospital including the nursing and administrative staffs, physical and respiratory therapy departments, and the hospital auxiliary.

With an engaging smile, helpful nature, and keen intellect, Doris worked her way up the “ladder” in the Bell Telephone family from the 1940s as switchboard operator to Director of Public Relations upon her retirement in 1989. During her career with the phone company, which spanned five decades, she was awarded the Supervisor of the Year award. Doris was also an active member of the Pioneer Club.

A Bible scholar, Doris was a charter member of Pensacola’s Burgess Road Baptist Church in 1968 where she was an active member of the Ladies Joy Sunday School Class. As untiring supporter of missionaries throughout this country and abroad, she took any available opportunity to personally spread the gospel of Jesus Christ whom she accepted as her Lord and Savior, alongside her sister, Merle on Sunday, June 8, 1941 at the Church of Christ in Arbor Dale, Georgia.

Her 12-year battle with Alzheimer’s has ended with a new body and a new mind in Christ. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” The Book of Timothy, Chapter Two, verses four: seven defines Doris Wade Gandy’s life.

A Celebration of her Christian witness and testimony will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2014, at the First Presbyterian Church, 208 E. Horner St., Atmore, at 11 a.m., with a visitation luncheon in the church fellowship hall immediately following the service, which will be conducted by Reverend Mark Cooley. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore.