Dorothy O. Cyrus

Mrs. Dorothy Oreally Mahoney Cyrus, daughter of the late Reverend Robert M. Mahoney and Effie Esaline Parsons Mahoney was born in Summerton, South Carolina on the 22nd day of February 1912.Becoming motherless at the age of 5, she and her younger brothers, John Bunyan and Moses went to live with grandparents John and Angeline Parsons. Her grandmother had been born into slavery, yet lived to be 117 years of age. Upon the death of her mother, she was nurtured by half brothers Spurgeon and Harrison. Her dad’s deathbed request to his elder sons was “to stay in touch with the younger siblings; do not throw them away.”Her education began at an early age in Summerton where she walked as far as one and a half miles each day to attend school. Under her grandmother’s upbringing, she spent most of her time in church rooted in the knowledge of the Lord. While attending Scott’s Branch High School she was proud of winning first place (twice) in an oratory contest. Until her death she could still recite “A Farewell to Arms” for which she won the contest. At Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church she attended Sunday school and enjoyed singing in the choir under the leadership of Rev. Hanyhan.She married August 6, 1932 to Robbie Charlie Cyrus. From this union she gave birth to three boys and three girls; Roosevelt, Franklin, and Robbie; and Audrey, Katie and Annie. Robbie and Roosevelt preceded her in death.She moved with her husband to his hometown, Timmonsville, S.C., there she attended Bethlehem Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. McConnell and was a member of the choir and Missionary Circle.Mrs. Cyrus moved to Baltimore in 1942 and became a member of the Grace Memorial Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. Eugene T. Grove. She was active in the Missionary and Flower Circles and sung on the Senior Choir. She later joined Wayland Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. William W. Payne and remained a member some 50+ years, until her death on September 11, 2004.Her children and the love of God sustained her when times were hard; she has always been involved in their Christian upbringing, seeking to give them strong moral values.As a lover of good, traditional music, she instilled the same within her children, sacrificing gladly toward their musical education. While her live of music did much to uplift her spirit, her live for flowers gave her much peace of mind. She was often referred to as “the flower lady”; a cutting from her garden was a way of passing on God’s beauty!Mrs. Cyrus would have others know that she was a wife, mother, grandmother, and churchwoman; indeed, she is a child of the King and goes forward to meet Him in the air!Mrs. Cyrus is survived by a brother: Mr. Moses Mahoney, four children; Mr. Franklin Cyrus, Dr. Audrey McCallum, Dr. Katie Grove, and Ms. Annie White; three grandchildren, Mr. James Grove, Jr., Ms. Michelle McCallum, and Mr. Allen McCallum, Jr.; one daughter-in-law Mrs. Yvonne Cyrus and two sons-in-law; Mr. James Grove, Sr., and Mr. Allen McCallum, Sr.; and nieces and nephews, and relatives and friends.

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Dorothy O. Cyrus

February 22, 1912 - September 11, 2004