Born Dora Mae Gray to Sam Gray & Lillie Pitts in Greenville, Mississippi on July 27, 1937. Dora Mae was one of nine children. She is proceeded in death by her parents, eight siblings, three husbands and seven children. She leaves behind two biological children- Beletha Fleming of Texarkana, Tx, Andre Johnson Sr. of Tempe, Az , one stepdaughter Sharon , 24 grandchildren and a host of great-great grandkids, cousins, nieces and nephews behind to mourn her. She was affectionately known as "Mama," to many. Even those that were not relatives.

In 1972 Dora migrated from Mississippi to California. Dora took great pride in building a life that was influenced by the importance of family. Family was the legacy that she was most proud of. During her life she was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt & church goer. Dora belonged to the Church of Philadelphia for many years. Participating in bible study, and as an usher. She did not miss church. Throughout her life Dora, bestowed her life to creating a family environment that always felt like home. This included her devotion to cooking for her family, gathering for holidays & birthdays, and routinely leaving her front door unlocked. Simply because, she believed that home was truly where love resided & if you were family, you could always come back home. She often doted on those around her, but especially her grandkids. The love that she poured into her grandchildren, was a love that had no boundaries. Over the years, she had dozens of pictures of her grandkids along the mantle in her living room.

Although she was committed to her family. Dora was also a hard-working woman that spent many years in the electronics industry. Working for companies such as Hewlett Packard, AMD, and other conglomerates. In her retirement years she started a day care business in her home. This was yet another way that depicted her family & Christian values. "Big Mama's," day care was a place that was affectionately named after Dora's mother Lillie.

Dora was three times widowed. Her first marriage was to James Johnson, and that marriage yielded four children. Her second marriage was to Clarence Benjamin Alexander and resulted in two children together. Together with Clarence's four children they blended a family of 10. Settling down in a corner house in San Jose, Ca. Where they nurtured family traditions together, for generations to come. After, the passing of Clarence Alexander in 2000. Dora Mae found love yet again with Lepoleon Mclemore. Whom, she also knew for a lifetime. As he and his first wife, were neighbors to Dora & James. It was a beautiful courtship between Dora & Lepoleon. Filled with romance & an outpouring of adoration, between the two. You could catch Dora doodling hearts on scratch paper on any given day, up until the day they wed in February of 2005. Soon after they wed, they moved from California to Texarkana, Tx. Dora took her strong family & Christian centered values everywhere she went. In Texarkana she belonged to Clearlake Baptist Church. Where she praised and worshipped. Thus, creating an extension of those she could call family, that she could also fellowship with.

There are many things to be said about Dora Mae. But what brings the most value to her legacy, was her ability to pour into those around her. She filled the cups of those around her with, the value of family, the importance of Christ, and her definition of resilience. Your cup would run over with exactly what you needed. Her strength was unsurpassed and will remain the pillar, that will be called upon for generations to come.