Doris Egger Richards, 85, of Columbus, Mississippi was called home to heaven on the morning of February 25, 2024. By now she's already been reunited with her husband, Lt. Col. Harvey Willis Richards, and her parents, James Herman and Eva West Egger of Caledonia, and many other family and friends who've been waiting for her.

Visitation will be Tuesday, February 27, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS. Service will be Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 2:00 PM at Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS, with Rev. Ron McDougald and Rev. Sarah Windham officiating. Interment will be at Egger Cemetery, Columbus, MS with Lowndes Funeral Home directing.

People knew her as Dotty, Moma D, Moma, Pee Wee or Little Bit. Yes, she was a tiny thing but she possessed many incredible talents, a huge heart, an eye for decorating, a love for plants and the color green. And, boy, did she love her family!

Dotty was born in Caledonia, Mississippi on October 24, 1938, and was the oldest of "The Five Egger Girls." She graduated from Caledonia High School where she was a cheerleader. Immediately after graduation, on June 9, 1956 she married Willis, a boy from town. They were married for nearly 47 years. Dotty was a stay-at-home mom until her children entered school. Then she became a bookkeeper and worked for Betty and Eddie Byars at Pride Oil Company for more than 25 years.

She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church and Church Circle 1, Terra Firma Garden Club where she served in all offices, Keenagers of 1st Methodist Church, RSVP, Friends of the Library, and a long-playing Bunko group. Dotty was a Pink Lady at the Hospital making gift shop floral arrangements for 12 years during her retirement.

Throughout her lifetime, she yearned to create! She painted, decorated birthday cakes, made clothes, gardened vegetables and flowers, made fabulous meals, fabricated unique items for the Wesley Methodist Church Bizarre, and made countless crafty items. And she grew a family that she leaves behind and who already miss her tremendously but will carry her many attributes with them each day.

Her children are Scotty (Tina) Richards, Robin (Kenny) Ballard, and Dodie (Scott) Williams. Her grandchildren are: Austin Broadaway (Nicole), Kyle Ballard (Hope), Preston Ballard (Gracie), and Tanner Williams, and Brady Williams. Her great grandchildren are: Hadley, William Carter, and Elianna Grace Broadaway, Cammie, Miley, and Cohen Ballard and Beckett Ballard. Dotty's sisters, the other Egger Girls are: Evelyn Thompson, Nancy Gerhart, Sandra Slayton, and Donna Grant-Hertsch. Dotty is also survived by brothers-in-law Buddy Slayton and Jerry Hertsch, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Austin Broadaway, Kyle Ballard, Preston Ballard, Brady Williams, Stacey Hollis, Chris Hollis, Barry Thompson, Mark Thompson, and  Ken Thompson

We the family deeply appreciate the loving care provided to our moma by the staff of Trinity and her sitters who provided so much care for her.

Though she loved flowers, memorials may be sent to the Sunday Fund at Trinity, 250 Airline Road, Columbus, MS 39702 or Cross of Christ, in Care Of: CREATE Foundation, PO Box 1053, Tupelo, MS 38802 MEMO: Cross-Monroe County-memory of Dotty Richards OR electronically at www.createfoundation.com, make donation, search Cross of Monroe County.