Doris Carolyn Fay Cadle Witt passed from life August 23, 2018 at The Montclair in Springfield.

Doris was born December 16, 1927, the first child to her loving parents, Everett "Teak" and Emily Jean Houghtlin Fay both originally from St. Louis.  Her brother, David Warren Fay arrived in 1934, and her sister, Nancy Alice Fay completed the family in 1947.

The family lived in the original farm house at Delaware and Cherry for many years.  Doris was an active, bright precocious little girl, and her strong mind continued to the end of her days. Doris was a kind, uncritical person, who never had a bad word to say about anybody.

Family was important to Doris, including her descent from John Fay who emigrated to Boston in 1656.  Her aunts, Alice Houghtlin and Dorothy "Dot" Fay Phillips, and uncles Forrest C. "Feary" Fay and Carroll Fay were important in her extended family.  She enjoyed many cousins especially Dick Phillips, Forrest C. Fay "Doc" Fay, Jr., and Robert L. "Bob" Fay.

Doris graduated from Greenwood High School in 1945 where she was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta.  She attended Lindenwood College in St. Louis to study fashion design.  She continued to dress stylishly throughout her life.

Doris married James Hubert Cadle in 1946.  That marriage ended in 1976.

Doris is survived by her daughter, Judith Wells and Charles, with two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren,  Margaret Lindquist with two grandchildren and two great-grandsons, Aaron N. Cadle and Patricia with two grandsons and nine great-grandchildren, and Douglas Lee Cadle with nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; her brother David Fay and Martha "Bitty" and two children.  Her sister, Nancy, died in 2014, but niece, Nia Howard of Springfield and Kent Howard of Chicago, survive her.

Doris and Jim married in Christ Church at Walnut and Kimbrough.  Christ Church remained her church.  In 1980 she married William Campbell "Bill" Witt in the church.  They enjoyed their lives together, including many church activities and foreign travel until Bill died in 2004.

Doris continued her many activities including choir at Christ Church and memberships in guilds and vestry.  She was a Cardinals fan and enjoyed Drury Senior Learning.  She was the volunteer treasurer for the Next to New Shop at Christ Church for many years.  Much of her working life was as a senior tax preparer for H&R Block.

Doris took two trips to China with Empire Bank groups after she was widowed, the last in 2007.  She made long drives to Kansas City, Milwaukee and St. Louis into her 80's and attended many weddings of grandchildren where she loved to dance.

Doris also loved to read and write letters.  She wrote numerous letters to the editor and served for a time as the conservative commentator for the Leader and Press.  Doris served as a Republican committee woman and was a member of the League of Women Voters as a young woman.

Doris worked in PTA at Bingham Elementary and was a Boy Scout den mother and a Camp Fire Girl Leader.

Doris loved history and contributed articles about her memories of growing up in Springfield and national events.

In 2014, Doris moved to Independent Living at the Montclair, which has become her home.  The many new and renewed friendships at Montclair, and full activities enhanced her life.  She continued to dress with flair and joined bridge groups, attended films and lectures, and learned to play Mexican Train Dominoes.  She had to give up choir and could no longer get to church, but the caring, loving community at the Montclair became her comfort.  Doris remained a reader and participated until the last days of her life.  She remarked near the end that she had stopped watching the news because it seemed like the same show every night.  Doris marched to her own drum.

Doris will join Bill in the columbarium at Christ Church.  Memorial services will be at Christ Church Friday, August 31, 2018 at 11:00 AM, under the care of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, followed by a light lunch in the parish hall.  Donations may be made in her memory to Christ Church.