Dorothy Hixson Stump

Dorothy Hixson Stump, 84, of Lanexa,Virginia, passed away on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was the daughter of Jacob Preston Hixson, of Erwin, Tennessee and Alice Wheeler Hixson, of Goodman, Mississippi. Dorothy was born on the Wheeler family farm in Goodman, Mississippi on August 9, 1939 and moved to Newport News, Virginia with her parents in 1941, where her father worked at the Newport News Shipyard. She attended Pine Chapel Baptist Church, Sinclair Elementary School, John W. Daniel Junior High School, and graduated from Hampton High School in 1957. She met her husband, John Daniel Stump of Mullens, West Virginia, in Newport News, where they were married in 1962. They lived and raised their three children in Newport News from 1963 through 1982, where Dorothy was an active member of South York Baptist Church, York County, VA; volunteered at her childrens’ various school PTAs; regularly volunteered at her local polling precinct; and worked for the Hampton Health Department from 1977-1982. In 1982, she and her family moved to Toms River, New Jersey, where Dorothy worked for the W.I.C. program at the Ocean County Health Department and fell in love with the beaches of the southern Jersey Shore. In 2000, Dorothy and her husband returned to Virginia and settled in Lanexa, New Kent County, where Dorothy helped John build their dream house. She was an active grandparent, hosting birthday and paintball parties, cub scout sleepovers, summer camp weeks, and many trips to Busch Gardens. After her mother died in 2006, she assumed the role of Hixson clan matriarch, hosting Thanksgiving dinner for up to 50 family members and friends for over 17 years. Dorothy was an enthusiastic patron of New Kent wineries, particularly Gauthier Winery, where her cheese treats were a favorite of Rochambeau. She regularly attended Arts Alive performances in West Point and was an active poll volunteer in New Kent County. After the death of her grandchild Miles, Dorothy began volunteering at Proclaiming Grace Outreach thrift shop, which held a special place in her heart. Dorothy is preceded in death by her father Jacob Hixson in 1988, her mother Alice Hixson in 2006, and her grandson Miles Reinke in 2015. She is survived by her spouse, John Stump of Lanexa; her children, Karen Stump Reinke and husband David Reinke of Silver Spring, MD, John Daniel (Dan) Stump, Jr. of Poolesville, MD, and Kenneth W. Stump and wife Leigh Carroll Stump, of Newport News, VA; grandchildren, Jacob Reinke of Silver Spring, Haley Stump of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Aidan Stump of Newport News, and Owen and Abigail Stump of Poolesville; siblings, James Hixson of Fredericksburg, VA, Donald Hixson of Urbanna, VA, Robert Hixson of Urbanna, VA, Julie Hoyle of Gloucester, VA, and sister-in-law Barbara Stump Clifford of Ocala, FL; along with numerous nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life service will be held in August in honor of her 85th birthday, date and place to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in Dorothy’s honor.

Dorothy Hixson Stump

August 9, 1939 - May 21, 2024