Dorothy Woodley Day Cerre

Dorothy Woodley Day Cerre, 97, died on September 18, 2012. Mrs. Cerre was born in Creswell, North Carolina, on March 27, 1915, the daughter of the late Eva Cotten Davis Woodley and the Rev. Stewart Johnston Woodley, and the granddaughter of the late Rev. Dr. Dennis Wrighter Davis and Mary Cotten Davis. Dot Cerre's passion in life was music as was true of her Woodley family. She was an accomplished pianist, entertaining tourists at the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia as well as at other resort locations throughout the United States where she traveled with her husband, Pat, when he played in many golf tournaments. Her family enjoyed her playing and singing, particularly when the family of over fifty gathered for many years at her brother's home for Thanksgiving. The family fondly recalls a time when over thirteen relatives who were ministers all offered the Thanksgiving blessing. Born into a family of ministers, church was very important to Dot Cerre; she sang in the United Presbyterian Church choir in Richwood West Virginia for over thirty years and then in the Forest Hills Christian Church in Tampa, Florida where she lived for many years in retirement. She was married to John Bryce Day and lived in Rocky Mount, North Carolina where their son, Douglas Comer Day was born. In later years she married Patrick Joseph Cerre of Richwood, West Virginia where they both owned businesses and lived most of their married life, enjoying an active church, community and social life. They traveled often for Pat's golf tournaments and chose Florida as their second home, where she would be close to her sister Mary Elizabeth Woodley Markley. Mrs. Cerre continued to live there following her husband's death. For the past seven years she has lived in Creswell to be near her brothers and sister until she moved to Edenton where she has lived for the past two and a half years. Her joy there was playing the piano for residents of The Edenton House. Mrs. Cerre is survived by her son, Douglas Comer Day and his wife Barbara; a granddaughter, Susan Douglas Day Brooks and her husband, William Leonhard Brooks, II and two great-grandsons, William Leonhard Brooks, III and Henry Douglas Brooks, all of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She is also survived by her brother, the Rev. Lawrence Winfield Woodley and his wife, Fran; her sister, Mildred Davis Woodley Alexander and her husband, the Rev. Frank Alexander of Creswell, North Carolina; a special relative, Dorothy Woodley Fairweather, of Boston, Massachusetts; and many nieces, nephews and cousins all of whom meet for yearly family Thanksgiving Homecoming. She is preceded in death by husbands and by her sisters, Mary Elizabeth Woodley Markley and Miriam Woodley Chesson Smith, and her brother Harold Stewart Woodley. The family is especially appreciative to Philippi Church, the church where her grandfather, father, nephews and cousins have preached, and the church that welcomed her in her later life back home. Appreciation is also given to the parishioners and minister, the Rev. Glenn Brickhouse, who visited her regularly in her new home in Edenton. The family will conduct a memorial service on the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 23, 2012, at two o'clock in the afternoon at Philippi Church, Creswell, North Carolina, with the Rev. Glenn Brickhouse presiding. Her brother, the Rev. Lawrence Winfield Woodley will give the Homily and conduct the graveside service. Interment will be in the Philippi Church Cemetery where she will be interred beside her mother and father, and near the grave of her longtime friend, Ruth Lind Burgess. A reception will follow in the Church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial in Mrs. Cerre's name may be given to the music and visitors funds, Philipi Church, Creswell, North Carolina 27928 or to the charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Miller Funeral Home & Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, Edenton, North Carolina 27932. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.