Obituaries

Dorothy “Dot” Oakley Crute, 91, died peacefully in her sleep in the early hours on Monday, November 11, 2024 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law.

Dorothy Mae Oakley was born in Person County, NC to the late Robie Algie Oakley and Annie Clayton Oakley. She was a graduate of Person County High School where she played basketball. She moved to Newport News in the early 1950’s where she worked at Newport News Waterworks. She married Charlie Daniel Crute in 1953. They were married for 50 years through some very serious illnesses from 1998 until Charlie died in 2003. Dot championed caring for Dad and also powered through her medical struggles like the strong, determined woman she was though she appeared to be quite a lady.

In happier times, Dot and Charlie began their family of 2 children, one daughter and one son. They found a church home at Calvary Baptist Church. Dot made her profession of faith in March 1958 and Charlie came by letter. Together, they raised their family to be involved with many activities within the church. Dot was active in serving her Lord by teaching Children’s Sunday School for 35 years and worked with the Sunbeams program for young children. She taught or worked with the craft stations for Vacation Bible School for over 40 years. She was the secretary and treasurer of the Karen Alexander Group. She participated in the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) and was secretary of the T.E.L. Sunday School Class. She was the church Librarian for a time and a member of both the Finance and Personnel Committees.

Dot was dedicated to being a homemaker. She ran a neat and tidy home. Her children often joked that you could eat off her floors at any time and be ok. She loved decorating her home for each season and holiday. She sewed beautifully. She enjoyed gardening and had a knack for growing the most beautiful bunch of azaleas & dogwoods which made her backyard look like a park. Dot and Charlie enjoyed square and round dancing for years and were members of the Merry Mixers Square Dance Organization. Dot enjoyed flower arranging and painting resin figurines. She loved pretty things. She loved little children. She loved her family and her Lord.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Dorothy was preceded in death by three sisters, Emily Crute, Doris Moore, and Florence Oakes and two brothers, Malcus Oakley, and Pete Oakley.

Left to cherish Dorothy’s memory are her children, Wanda Crute Fletcher (David) and Dan Crute
(D’Lane), her grandchildren, Rachel Cruz McKinley (Ben), Emily Fletcher, James Crute (Ashley), Justin Crute (Chrissy), and Jordan Crute, and her great-grandchildren, Nick and Chloe McKinley and “new baby” Casen Crute, whom she met two weeks before she died. Dorothy’s also leaves behind her brother, Ronald Oakley (Kathy) and a host of nieces and nephews on both the Oakley and Crute sides of the family.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, November 17th at Hilton Presbyterian Church at 34 Main St. Newport News, Va. Viewing will be in the sanctuary from 12:20-12:40 p.m. and the service will begin at 12:45 p.m. A reception for visitation with the family will follow the service in the church social hall.

Interment will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 20th at Peninsula Memorial Park in the
Garden of the Good Shepherd.