Dorothy Hopper McGrath, 94, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away of natural causes
at the home of her daughter in Savannah, Georgia on June 8, 2023 in the presence
of her loving family.
Dorothy was born on December 13, 1928 in Opelika, Alabama to the late Esther
Stetler Hopper and Clarance Ricker Hopper. Years later, her family moved to
Douglasville, Georgia where she graduated from Douglas County High School in
1946. Dorothy was President of her class, a cheerleader, a member of the BETA
club, and lettered in basketball. After high school, she studied education at
Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1950, with a
B.S. degree in education from Peabody, Dorothy began teaching in Punta Gorda,
Florida. A year later, she accepted a teaching position at Radford, a private school
for girls in El Paso, Texas, where she taught P.E. and Spanish. Dorothy married
Jack C. McGrath in June 1953, and they had three children; Susan, James, and
Emily. Dorothy was on the Board of the YWCA, President of the El Paso Civic
Ballet, a member of the Western Hills United Methodist Church, loved gardening,
cooking, taking French, real estate, and accounting classes at UTEP, and playing
bridge with the girls. After being divorced, she returned to Nashville, pursued a
M.S. degree in education from Peabody in 1976, and moved back to Atlanta to
teach at Lithia Springs High School.
Dorothy was preceded in death by a daughter, Emily A. McGrath of Atlanta,
Georgia, her former husband, Jack C. McGrath of El Paso, Texas, and two sisters,
Mary Ann McCrary and Emily Maltba. She is survived by a daughter and son,
Susan McGrath Mason of Savannah, Georgia and James P. McGrath (Melissa) of
New York; two grandchildren, J. P. McGrath of Ohio and Logan F. McGrath of
North Dakota; one brother, Dr. Herbert W. Hopper (Mary Lynn) of Georgia, and
seven nieces and one nephew.
The Rev. Dr. B. Sonny Mason will officiate at a graveside service at Arlington
Memorial Cemetery in Sandy Springs, Georgia on June 24, 2023 at 12:00 noon.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorials be made in the
name of Dorothy Hopper McGrath to Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College,
Gift and Donor Services, PMB 407727, 230l Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN
37240-7727 or Hospice Savannah, Inc., 1352 Eisenhower Dr., Savannah, GA
31406.
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Kelly Faust
Susan, Jimmy and family:
Sorry to hear of Dot’s passing. She was a beautiful person with a kind and loving spirit. While it is sad that she is gone, know that she is in a better place rejoicing in heaven.
Dennis and Kelly Faust
Katie Bodo