Dorothy Rivens

AUNT DOROTHY to some , AUNT DOTTIE to most, was born in Stafford County, Virginia on July 10, 1915 and went Home to be with her Savior on September 2, 2011. It was through God's grace and mercy that we had the privilege to love her for so very long. At an early age, she and her family left Virginia and moved to Baltimore, Maryland; and it was here that she met the love of her life, Elijah Buster Rivens. She fondly called him “Bus” They shared a loving marriage for more than thirty-two years. They were very active members of St. John's Christian Community Church from its earliest roots on Greenmount Avenue to the present site. They also participated in various organizations of the Church. Although they childless , they became known as the neighborhood's Aunt/Uncle, Mom /Dad to everybody's child and loved all of the children the same. They never overlooked a child in need. Aunt Dottie loved to cook and cook she did! She never prepared a meal just for the family in the house, but always prepared enough food “just in case someone stopped by...”which they usually did, especially if they thought she had baked a cake. If she did not know you , but thought you were hungry,she'd say “Come on in and have something to eat.” Of course later the family would discover she really did “know” the person, except she just could not always remember their name... and to her it just did not matter, they needed to be fed. Thanksgiving and Christmas were special events in her house with Christmas taking first place when it came to the food. Sometimes she would be up half the night baking those white icing cakes, pound cakes, chocolate cakes, ham, turkey those different parts of the hog with their unique Combinations, collard greens, White Potatoes, rice, stuffing, green beans... well, you get the picture and oh, those sweet potatoes pies that made your toes curl up! If you wanted her to make you a special cake and she was not sure about how to make it, you had to settle for whatever she baked and you were still happy. Her nieces, Queenie, Lucille, Helen and Annie Belle, six great-nieces, thirteen great-great-nieces, three great-great-great-nieces, three great-nephews, three great-great-nephews, and seven great-great-great-nephews will miss her dearly.

Tributes

Dorothy Rivens

July 10, 1915 - September 2, 2011