Mother, grandmother, community servant, and groundbreaking labor organizer, Dorothy Louise Baker Jordan, made her final transition on July 7, 2025, after a courageous battle with multiple health challenges, including congestive heart failure and vascular dementia. She was 89 years old.

Dorothy was born on September 12, 1935, to the late William Henry Jones and Cordelia (Robinson) Jones in the historic Berrytown community of Louisville, Kentucky.  Established by formerly enslaved Black folk less than a decade after the Civil War, Berrytown imbued young Dorothy with an unfettered spirit of audacious freedom. The youngest of four, Dottie— as she was known by family— had a fighter's spirit and survived a near-fatal case of scarlet fever as a child.

Dorothy only attended primary school and began having children at a young age.   She began cleaning homes and businesses in a city dominated by the Brown and Williamson tobacco factory. The factory employed thousands of white people in a deeply segregated system. As a domestic worker for an executive at Brown & Williamson, Dottie was recruited to integrate the company and became only the 7th African American hired at the company. Her aunt was the first.  In the late 1970s, the company began to phase out Louisville production, and Dottie found her way to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1981. Here, she remained committed to labor and racial justice, serving as a shop foreman, union treasurer, a member of the contract negotiation team, a machinist, and a trainer. After more than 30 years, Dottie retired in 2001 when the Winston-Salem plant closed.

Retirement did not mark the end of Dottie's service to the community. Mama Dottie served the Winston-Salem community as a lay therapist for SCAN- Stop Child Abuse Now.  She was dedicated to ensuring food access through her volunteer work for Meals on Wheels.  She contributed to the United Way and Senior Services, and was celebrated as Volunteer of the Year by the Red Cross. Dottie knew the importance of being firmly rooted in the Black community.  She worked for years with the annual International Black Theater Festival and Winston-Salem's Juneteenth Celebration.

Determined to enjoy life, Dottie traveled regularly and embraced joy as a member of the Red Hat Society.  She remained active with her Winston-Salem peers in Happy Hill Seniors and 14th Street Seniors.

A faithful woman of God who knew her Savior and loved the church, Dorothy made her church home at St. Peter's Church and World Outreach Center, under the leadership of Bishop James C Hash, Sr. There she volunteered at theWe Care House Pantry,  front desk, as a greeter, and on the Mother's Board.

Three of Dorothy's children preceded her in death. The late Darrell Louise Jones Slade (1951-2009) was a celebrated entrepreneur in Winston-Salem, who started Darell's Salon of Beauty as a single-chair shop and grew it into the largest salon in the city. The late Nathaniel Milton Jones (1949-2010) who was employed by Brown & Williamson until the Louisville plant closed in 1981. And, the late Stanley Marvin Jones (1952-2025), who transitioned just a few months before his beloved mother.

Two of Dorothy's biological children survive to carry on her legacy:  son, Carlos L. Gresham of Louisville, Kentucky; and youngest daughter, Dr. Amber M. Baker of Winston-Salem, North Carolina who represents House District 72 in the North Carolina General Assembly.  Dr. Baker tenderly provided care, comfort, and companionship for Mama Dottie during the final, challenging years of her life.

Remaining to to cherish her memory are those she loved as though they were her own: Grandchildren; Shawn Jones (Maria) Winston-Salem, NC; Stephanie Jones, Tampa, Fl; Angela Jones, Atlanta, GA; Tracy McRae (Floyd), Atlanta, GA; Stacy Cohen (William) Louisville, KY; Leisa Woods (Ron) Louisville, Ky; Darrell Jones-Willams, Louisville, KY; Carlos Jones, Louisville, KY; Jacquline Walker, Louisville, KY; Jennifer Mooney, Louisville, KY; Martisha Bell, Louisville, KY; Ashlei N. Baker, Charlotte, NC; Amber Thomas, Atlanta, GA; and Darrell Quentin Slade, Winston Salem, NC. Marcella Bell of Louisville, Kentucky; God-daughter, Constance Caldwell of Winston-Salem; God-daughter, Chelsea Griffith; Jackie Jordan of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; God-daughter, Sylvia Matthews; Gordon Slade of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and, God-daughter, Cynthia Wright of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  And host of great-grandchildren, great-great children, nieces and nephews.

Waiting to welcome Dorothy into Glory are her sisters, Dolphine "Doll" Bailey (1930-2014) and Christine "Tina" Howard (1928-2016); her brother, William H. "Junie" Jones, Jr., (1954-2018) and her husband Jackie Jordan.

Dorothy will be remembered here on earth as a fearless and formidable woman. She will be welcomed by her heavenly Father as a good and faithful servant.

Funeral services will be conducted 12 Noon Thursday, July 17th at St. Peter's World Outreach with family visitation preceding at 11:30am. Interment Parklawn Memorial Park.