Dorcas Colleen Redding Webb was born the 13th day of July 1926 and passed into life eternal on the 22nd day of August 2019. She was the 13th daughter of James Martin Redding and youngest child of Ella Hagewood Redding. Her father was 76 years old when she was born and died when she was 14. To support the family after his death, parts of their large farm were sold. On land that remained, she and her former husband, Cobb Webb, built the Starlite Drive-In Theatre, which they operated for many years. Before the drive-in, she was a long-distance operator for AT&T and worked in Oak Ridge.
Surviving Dorcas are two songs, John (Ellie) and Jack, and two daughters, Linda Patton and Amy Gray. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
In honor of our mother, please go outside today and admire the beauty of the clouds, or the smoke on the mountains, or the majesty of a lone oak tree. If you spent time with her, you would learn to enjoy the beauty of east Tennessee.
Private services were held Monday at Hyder Cemetery.