Lois Meyer, age 97, was greeted by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 16, 2025. Lois, known affectionately by all her grandchildren and great grandchildren as “Mema,” lived a full and rewarding life.
Born to Judson Carl and Mary Louise (“Mollie”) Lyday McCall in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, soon after her birth, Lois joined the Cradle Roll of Turkey Creek Baptist Church, a church her grandfather helped found by giving the original property for the church. Through several moves and travels, Lois maintained her membership at Turkey Creek until her passing. In Dalton, Lois was under the “watchcare” of First Baptist Church - Dalton, and an active member of the Senior Ladies’ Sunday School Class.
Lois married her first husband, Ralph Dodson, in 1949. Ralph passed away in 1976. Together, Lois and Ralph had two children, Lynn and Barry. In 2019, Lois moved to Dalton, first to live with her daughter, Lynn, and Lynn’s husband, Ben, and then as a beloved resident of The Gardens, part of the Hamilton Medical Center complex.
Lois was predeceased by her parents and by three sisters, Pearl Glazener, Margaret Surrette, and Martha Ballard, and two brothers, Charles McCall and Carl McCall. Lois is survived by her sister, Betty Sibley, of Charleston, South Carolina; her daughter, Lynn (Ben) Laughter, of Dalton, Georgia; her son, Barry (Robin) Dodson, of Richburg, South Carolina; six grandchildren, Judson (Laura) Laughter, of Knoxville, Tennessee; Mark (Karissa) Laughter, of Vienna, Austria; Mary Lynn (Miller) Jones, of Dalton, Georgia; Kent Dodson, of Richburg, South Carolina; Robert (Katherine) Dodson, of Fort Mill, South Carolina; and Dia Dodson, of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Lois was also preceded in death by a grandson, Andrew Dodson.
Additionally, Mema had nine great-grandchildren: Kate and Mary Louise (“Lulu”) Jones of Dalton, Georgia; Joseph and Benjamin Laughter of Knoxville, Tennessee; Lydia and Isaac Laughter of Vienna, Austria; and Natalie, Isabel and Daniel Dodson, of Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Lois spent most of her life in the mountains of Western North Carolina, with intermittent times spent in Florida. While she enjoyed the warm Florida weather, North Carolina was always her home. She would tell anyone who would listen about the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She was happy until the very end, delighting her family with stories from her childhood. Lois remembered and spoke often of living through the Great Depression, World War II, and the terms of more than a dozen presidents. She was always happy to see family and friends. She was an avid completer of jigsaw puzzles, loved playing Rummikub with her grands and great grands, and was a master of Sudoku puzzles. She crocheted, knitted, and made the best creamed corn and strawberry jam you would ever taste.
The family would like to thank the staff at The Gardens and Quinton Memorial, her caregivers, and the staff at Hamilton Hospice for the love and attention they paid to Mema in her final days. Lois was loved by many, including all her nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Lois’s going home celebration will be held at a later date, at Turkey Creek Baptist Church in Pisgah Forest. The Rev. Jason Kittrell will officiate.
The family has asked, in lieu of flowers, that donations be designated to the Youth Ministry at Turkey Creek Baptist Church, a ministry that was dear to Mema’s heart, or your local Alzheimer’s Association.
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