Our dear mother Savannah Parker Doby sadly passed away on the morning of April 30th, 2022, at 10:18am. She was 89 years young. She was a devoted mother to her 5 children and was always there when we needed her. She also had many friends and was a well-loved member of the community in Winston-Salem, NC. She passed away at Somerset Court of University Place, where she was a resident since 2017.

Savannah was a devoted member of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church for over 60 years.  She was a member of the Spiritual Choir for most of those years, as well member of the Senior Missionary Auxiliary, Sunday School, and Women's Fellowship, till her illness kept her from attending. She introduced all 5 of her children to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ at Bethlehem.

For most of her working life, she was a dietary cook at Forsyth Country Club golf center. She really enjoyed making salads and specialty trays for events and special occasions at the club. Her children also enjoyed trying the many new and creative meals she would share with them at home. She later worked at Winston Salem State University Student Union and Cafeteria, where she enjoyed meeting and cooking for the students and faculty for several years. Finally, she worked at Winston-Salem Urban League, the Sawtooth building, where later in life she learned the computer and worked as the receptionist.

Savannah was the daughter of Johnny Parker and Lula Pettiford-Parker. She was also preceded in death by brother, James Parker (Dottie), brother, William Parker (Mary), brother, Eddie Parker, sister, Martha Jones (George), and sister, Etta Griffin.

Savannah has 5 children:

Daughter: Valisia Acker of Houston, TX

Son: Chris Doby (deceased) (daughter Camri); Son: Emory Wright (daughters Keeala, Emori); Daughter, Lisa Wright; Son: Joseph Acker; Daughter: Latisha Acker (son Jayvon, daughters Janiya, Christiana)

Son: William M. Doby, Jr. (Joyce) of Columbia, SC

Son: William Doby, III (Sharese) daughter-Briana, son-William, IV;

Daughter: Tamica Johnson (Charles, deceased), (daughter Amaya)

Daughter: Patricia Doby of Winston-Salem, NC

Daughter: Sharon Wright of Winston-Salem, NC (Dexter)

Daughter, Shanita Green (sons, Alphonso Green,II; Jesse Green; Justun Green)

Son, Dexter Wright, Jr, (deceased) (Fiancee, Ebonni Drummond; son, Malcolm Wright, daughter, Ivy Wright)

Son: Reginald Doby of College Park, MD (Sheila)

(Sons, Khary Doby, Tory Doby)

Son, Reginald Payne (Suomayyah); (sons: John, Stephone, Nihjel)

Other loving family include: Hazel Parker-Moore (Claude, deceased), niece; George Jones, Jr. (Cynthia) nephew, (son Dedrick, daughter Nicole, daughter Mikala); Rosetta Foster, niece, (son Walter, daughter Simone) and a host of other family and dear friends.

A viewing will be held from 1:00pm until 6:00pm Friday, May 6, 2022 at Russell Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00noon Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, 1711 Claremont Avenue NE, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Interment will follow in Piedmont Memorial Gardens. The family visitation will be held from 11:00am until 12:00noon on Saturday at the Church.

The services will be live streamed on the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Facebook Page using the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/bethlehem.bethlehem.125