Dorothy Virginia Parker Keppler

Dorothy Virginia (Parker) Keppler was born on February 25, 1930 in Bunnell, Florida and died on May 13, 2021 in Fairview, North Carolina.

Dorothy grew up in Florida, the second of three children of Carl Parker and Ida (Mosby) Parker. She acquired her strong work ethic from her parents who kept food on the table and a roof over their heads through the depths of the Great Depression. She also inherited a sweet, patient disposition that she maintained throughout her life.

While attending college at Southern Adventist University (then Southern Missionary College), Dorothy met C. Burton (Burt) Keppler whom she would marry on August 17, 1950. Dorothy and her husband would both go on to attend and graduate from the AdventHealth University School of Nursing (then Florida Sanitarium & Hospital School of Nursing). Dorothy graduated in 1951 after which she worked as a registered nurse to support Burt while he finished his nursing degree. Dorothy and Burt would welcome Brenda to the fledgling family on October 24, 1952. Susan would follow on January 5, 1954.

In 1955, Dorothy and Burt would make the decision to serve the Lord and their fellow man in Bolivia where they worked as medical missionaries for the next three and a half years. While in Bolivia, Dorothy put her nursing skills to good use, often being pressed into service in physician roles when nobody else was available. In addition to frequently administering anesthesia, she performed countless deliveries including many that would be classified as high-risk, in facilities that ranged from clinics to dirt-floored huts.
Upon completing their mission service in 1959, Dorothy and Burt brought their family home to the United States. Dorothy supported the small family as Burt pursued his dream of becoming a physician, first in Michigan as an OB nurse and later in Loma Linda, CA as an operating room nurse where she participated in pioneering cardiac surgeries.

In 1965, after Burt received his Medical Doctor degree from Loma Linda University, School of Medicine, the family would again cross the country and settle in Greenville, South Carolina. There, Burt opened his medical practice where Dorothy served as administrator, accountant, nurse and receptionist. She would eventually relinquish many of her practice responsibilities and on June 29, 1968, a third daughter, Karen, was added to the family. On December 9, 1969, Dorothy and Burt would welcome their fourth and final child, a son, Benjamin.
In 1974, Dorothy would again support Burt in his desire for more education as they moved their family to Birmingham, Alabama where Burt would complete an Anesthesiology residency. Two years later, Dorothy and Burt would settle in Kingsport, Tennessee where they would spend the next 8 years on a 40+ acre farm. Here Dorothy would finally be free to devote her full attention to her true passion: that of being a mother and later a grandmother.

In 1984, Dorothy and Burt would make their final move, to the mountains of Western North Carolina where Burt founded Park Ridge Anesthesiology. With her youngest two children attending Mount Pisgah Academy, she could devote more of her time and energy to her grandchildren, vegetable and flower gardening, sewing, quilting and her church.

As lifelong Seventh-day Adventists, Dorothy and Burt would again serve in the mission field on multiple short-term assignments, often providing medical care to those who had none available in such diverse locations as Mexico, Panama, Thailand, the Solomon Islands and Guam. They would also be privileged to visit Russia, Ukraine, China and Australia. A highlight for Dorothy was fulfilling her lifelong dream of visiting Switzerland to see its beautiful spring flowers.

Dorothy would lose her husband of 54 years on March 6, 2008. Just 6 short months later, Dorothy suffered a massive stroke while accompanying her son and his family on a vacation to Myrtle Beach. Despite her new circumstances which required 24×7 companion care, Dorothy continued to maintain her cheerful and caring disposition until her death.

Dorothy was predeceased by her brother Roland and sister Marjorie. She is survived and greatly missed by her four children, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, May 29 at 3:00 PM at the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church at 35 Airport Road in Arden. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dorothy Keppler’s name to one of the following non-profit organizations: Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church, Church Building Fund, 35 Airport Road, Arden, NC 28704, Ph: (828) 684-6700, www.ardenadventist.org or Surgical Eye Expeditions International, 27 E. De La Guerra, Ste. C-2, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, Ph: (805) 963-3303, www.seeintl.org or The C. Burton and Dorothy V. Keppler Endowment for Archeological Digs and Publication, Southern Adventist University, P. O. Box 370, Collegedale, TN 37315, Ph: (423) 236-2986, www.southern.edu.

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.