Dorothy's Birthday-Legacy Not Forgotten-BE INSPIRED

Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Go girl! Go girl! It's your birthday! Happy Birthday to the most amazing woman, mother, friend, daughter & cook! Dorothy Mceachern(my amazing grandmother) was born on this day in 1946. She was born in Florida and moved here to Fayetteville NC when she was a few years old.

As soon as she stepped foot in Fayetteville, she made an impact on everyone she talked too and touched. Her drive to take care of her family started at a young age when she would scavenge dumpsters and shoot quail to help feed her 7 siblings and mother.

At the age of 17 she married and had her first child and began the journey of motherhood. 4 children later(Janice, Dietra, Dennis, Janella)....Her husband James Fort who was in the military went overseas to Korea and returned with severe PTSD. After years of trying to help him she knew that she had to get her babies away from that violent environment. Being the strong woman she was, she packed her bags one night and walked her and small children from Stedman, NC back to Fayetteville...from that point on she made it her business to never depend on a soul but God to make it. The power of a woman's love for her children is dangerous. That power and love can move mountains. Add the faith in God and nothing can stop a determined woman.

She worked any job she could to provide for her family. She went and took classes at FTCC faithfully to make sure that she never stopped learning. She cleaned homes....she cooked for families.....she paid her tithes. She always put God first. God blessed her for her faithfulness. Her children never knew the struggle she endured to provide for them. They never wanted for anything.

And then she met a man. A man by the name of Daniel McEachern. Her "bae". Daddy as she called him. They couldn't have been better for each other. He took her four children immediately as his own. It was a match made in heaven. They married and they went on to have 3 more children. (Dana, Daniel, Danika)

Dr. Gary Copeland was taking care of his children alone after his wife passed away. He needed help and God opened a door for him. Dorothy walked in his life and they needed each other. She assisted him with caring for his small children while he worked. The bond between them was like a real life fairy tale. Gary met an amazing woman named Joanne who also had children and it was like the Brady Bunch. Dorothy, Daniel, Gary, Joanne and the kids. ☺️ Friends is an understatement. They all pushed each other to be better. After helping Joanne with a cookware and cooking school....they pushed Dorothy to start a catering business. True friends they were. True friends when it wasn't socially ok to be friends with black people. During a time when it was frowned upon to be in interracial friendships/relationships. They didn't let color affect their love. Another reason why her fearless and go getter nature was so vital to her success. She did the right thing no matter who was looking. Integrity.

Family. Family was important to her. She worked at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church for 30 years and they were her family. She valued family and family came first.

She pastored a church, she was a food service director, she was a business owner, she was a friend, she was a wife, she was a grandmother, she was a mother. A mother to many.....

Help me celebrate this amazing woman's birthday. She is looking down on us from heaven and we want her to know that she will never be forgotten. Her legacy lives on....

Happy Birthday Beautiful.