Dorothy Ruth Starks

Dorothy Ruth Starks was born on September 16, 1947 in Atlanta, Georgia to her late mother Mary Short.  When Mary got pregnant with Dorothy, she wasn't aware, but she knew that she felt ill.  The doctor informed her that she was pregnant, then several months later, her beautiful bundle of joy Dorothy arrived.  Mary packed up all her belongings and headed to a place of comfort New York to be with her mother.  Dorothy grew up in Brooklyn, New York with her mother and grandmother.  She would often talk about the beautiful relationship she shared with her Nana whom she respected and loved.  Dorothy was twelve years old when her grandmother passed on.  (Her grandmother had predicted that she would die when Dorothy was twelve.)  She said to her, “Don’t be sad; just always remember what ‘Na-Na’ taught you, and most importantly, always trust God and do your best.  Do everything as if you were doing it unto God; and Dorothy did just that. 

Dorothy never forgot her grandmother's teachings, causing her to excel at the top of her class throughout her school years. Dorothy was the eldest child of six.  While her mother worked, Dorothy would attend school and go straight home to care for her siblings, but that didn't stop "Dot" from getting straight A-s in all her classes.  Before Dorothy graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School, employers were hunting her down with job opportunities.  After several job offers at top Manhattan firms, once she graduated from high school, Dorothy accepted employment as a computer operator at a top financial firm on Wall Street. 

Dorothy went on to continue her education at Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City.  Soon after, she met her future husband, Leon Starks whom she married at the age of twenty-one.  After Dorothy was married to Leon, they had three beautiful children: Quel, Parti and Demetria.  Dorothy and Leon decided that Dot should stay at home and raise their three girls while dad worked full time.  This allowed Dorothy to be very active in her children's lives. 

She would drop her girls to school, then pick them up after dismissal.  She would attend every play, graduation and PTA meeting.  She helped her girls with their homework, and the list goes on and on.  Her children saw her as a superwoman! -- the smartest woman they have ever known -- so strong because of her faith in God.  Dorothy taught her girls the same way her grandmother taught her … to always trust God and to always do their best.  Her daughters watched how much their mother cared for people. Always giving, always listening, always teaching, and always giving a word of encouragement.  Dorothy loved to read and sew.  Dorothy taught herself how to speed read, she could read a page in a book in less than a minute. 

Dorothy would also make some of her own clothes.  She was loved by many including her grandson Vincent and granddaughter Daphane whom she helped raise and spoil. Dorothy's children and grandchildren loved spending countless holidays and birthdays with her -- always having good food, gifts, cake and tons of laughs.  Her grandchildren called her Nana, and her nieces and nephews called her Aunt Dot.  Dorothy enjoyed her life, and one of her favorite sayings was "Live and nothing happen", meaning if God allows you to live without anything happening. 

On Wednesday, September 30, 2020, Dorothy went on to be with the Lord. She was preceded in death by her husband Leon Starks, her parents: Mary Lee Grant Short and Walter Frank Short, and her brother Gary Short.

Dorothy is survived by her three daughters: Quel Starks, Parti Starks and Demetria Callender; a son-in-law Leonard Callender; six grandchildren: Vincent Lane, Quenta Bollers, Daphane Starks, Tristan McCoy, Jordyn Callender and Lauryn Callender; four siblings: Frankie Campbell, Vicky Smith, Jessie Short and Arthur Short; her sister-in-law Somata Short; her niece Lizette-Smith Natal whom she helped raise; and a host of nieces, nephews, tons of other family members and friends.

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