Doris was born January 1, 1925, in Harrisburg, Pa., to Laurel Huff and Helen Dickerson Huff. At two, they moved to the Garden City area of Roanoke, Va. She was greatly influenced during her young life by her “Mommy Dickey,” her mother and Aunt Anna in San Diego. Her first job at 17 was “candling” eggs. After her marriage to Leo and his assignments at San Diego and Hawaii, they settled on Stutts Creek in Mathews County. She worked for 28 years at the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown.

In retirement her passion was gardening and she created and maintained beautiful perennial gardens at her home with the help of Lisa and Hallie. Preparing delicious food was another passion, and if a boring, slow day presented itself, she’d get busy making a German chocolate cake, pineapple pound cake or another of her wonders. A Rummikub champ, canasta player, traveler, and reader, she was also always searching for pure wool yarn to hook rugs.

She died on May 31, 2025 at 100+, and is predeceased by her parents as well as her husband, Leo W. Whiticar; her sons, Leo Allan (Skipper) and Lewis; her grandson, James; a brother, Laurel Jr., and a sister, Ann Fralin. She is survived by her grandson, Neil (Sarah); three great-grandchildren; a sister, Louise Turner; a brother, William “Sam” (Nancy); six nieces; one nephew, and caring dear friend and “cousin-in-law” René.

Cremation is handled by Foster-Faulkner Funeral Services in Mathews. If anyone wishes to memorialize Doris with a contribution, please consider “The Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway” or the Skyline Drive. Both are places where she loved hiking and camping, often with her son, Lew, during her retirement.