Dorothy Hill Strayhorn

Dorothy Hill Strayhorn, age 93, formerly of Mt. Airy, transitioned from this earthly journey on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, peacefully while at her home.  She was born on September 7, 1932, in Reading, Pennsylvania, the middle daughter of six children to the late Ola Huie Hill and John Zeb Hill.  Dot spent most of her life in Mt. Airy and had been a member of Haymore Memorial Baptist Church for over 45 years until moving to Pilot and transferring membership to the First Baptist Church of Pilot Mountain in 2018.  She was a graduate of Franklin Heights High School and continued her education at High Point Memorial Nursing School where she earned her degree as a registered nurse.  Dot was known and respected for her service of 45 years in healthcare, most of which took place at Northern Hospital of Surry County.  She served in several departments through the years but her most accomplished area was as a founding member of the Cardiac/Critical Care Unit where she worked for 15 years, many of those years as supervisor.  In 1957 she married Thomas Jack Strayhorn, Sr. of Hillsborough and together had three children, Joni, Gay, and Little Jack.  After her husband’s untimely death in 1971 she became a single parent, and this is where her legacy of character began.  She was the epitome of grace, class, perseverance, honesty, ethics, and fairness.  No better role model could have anyone had.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers Cecil and J.D. Hill, and sisters Ruth Jessup and Shelba Carpenter.

She is lovingly survived by her three children, Joni Handley and husband Tommy of Pilot Mountain, Gay Hensley and husband David of Pleasant Garden, and Jack Strayhorn, Jr. of  Winston-Salem; brother, Ray Hill and wife Violet of Mt. Airy; four grandchildren, Julie Henne and husband Nick, Cody Hutchens and wife Andi, Katie Long and husband Andrew, and Jason Hensley; three great-grandchildren, Mason Hutchens, Landon Henne, and Sophie Long; three nieces and five nephews; and special friends and beach buddies, Michael Adams and Janet Walser, whom she loved as family. A special thank you to her caregiver Lucille Cates.

Funeral service will be held at 3:00PM on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at the First Baptist Church of Pilot Mountain with Pastor Andy Hughes officiating.  She will be recognized by the Nurse Honor Guard Piedmont. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 2:00PM.  A private interment will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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