Dottie Louise Oldham

Dottie Louise (Henderson) Oldham departed this life August 7th, 2017 at Quail Ridge Living Center in Siloam Springs; she was 88 years old. Dottie was born in Jasper on September 8, 1928. She was the second child of A.R. and Virgie (Kilgore) Henderson of Jasper, Arkansas. Dottie was blessed to grow up with loving parents and three brothers. As a young girl, she embraced her farm chores and carried on that work ethic throughout her life. Her father, Aubrey often provided the family entertainment with his five string banjo. Virgie gave her the love for country cooking - biscuits with cream gravy, pinto beans with cornbread and other delights - all cooked on a wood stove. Her life in those days were spent on an idyllic Newton County farm bordering the Little Buffalo River. Dottie became known as Dot and went on to graduate valedictorian of her Jasper High School class. Afterwards, she studied at Arkansas Tech and received her teaching certificate. She taught in a one room school house teaching grades 1 through 8. The school was in the small community of Erbie, some distance from the family home. Dottie rode a horse, living with a local family during the week and riding her horse home on the weekends. Her aunt, Ima (Henderson) and uncle Joe Parks lived in Duncan, Oklahoma where they owned and operated a grocery store. Dottie was to be their new store helper. Soon after her job began she met a regular customer, a young and handsome man named Glen Oldham. Glen, along with his father W.B., owned and operated the Oldham Trading Post, selling and buying furniture, appliances and house hold items. Glen asked Dottie for a date but she was hesitant, thinking he might be married because he always purchased more groceries than one person needed. Aunt Ima assured Dottie that Glen was single, doing the shopping for his mom and dad as well as himself. One day Glen decided to buy all the store's ripe bananas if Dottie would go to the park and feed the monkey's with him. The monkeys were well fed that day. Dottie and Glen were married on August 5, 1947 making Duncan, Oklahoma their first home. In the years that followed a son Danny was born in 1950. After relocating to Riverside, California, a daughter, Kathie was born in 1954. Glen and Dottie owned and operated a successful furniture business and often traded real estate. They continued a passion for God, family, friends and their work. That love and passion took Dottie and family back to Newton County and Jasper. A general store became the town's first furniture and appliance center. Her gardening skills returned and their family farm was filled with dairy cows, chickens, a horse or two, and the occasional goat. Later years took them to Fayetteville and Prairie Grove. She was our dad's partner in all things. She was our mother, the very best of God's gift to us. Our hearts are broken, yet we celebrate her life because we know where to find you when our time comes. We loved you, your family forever. Dottie was preceded in death by the love of her life, Glen A. Oldham, her parents A.R. and Virgie (Kilgore) Henderson, three brothers: Kirby, Jim, and Jerry Henderson, one grandson, Daniel Taylor, and one great-granddaughter, Audrey Taylor and her beloved dog Buck. Dottie is survived by son, Danny Oldham and wife, Suzanne (Parks) Oldham of Little Rock, daughter, Kathie (Oldham) Taylor and son-in-law, Bill Taylor of Gentry, grandson, Caleb Taylor and wife Canda, and granddaughter, Rebekah Taylor and Steven White, three great-grandsons: Wesley and Everhett Taylor and Liam White, sisters-in-law, Brenda (Upton) Henderson Pratt and Patsy Oldham, along with many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Dottie's name may be made to: Arkansas Children's Hospital, #1 Children's Way Slot 661, Little Rock, Ark. 72202, or Humane Society of Pulaski County 14600 Colonel Glen Road, Little Rock, Ark. The family would like to thank the dedicated health care givers who cared for our mother.