Dotty Mccurry Price

Dotty McCurry Foster Price, of Charleston, S.C., formerly of Jacksonville, Fla. and Myrtle Beach, S.C., died Thursday, August 5. She was 71.

Dorothy 'Dotty' Elizabeth McCurry was born November 10, 1949, in Lake City, S.C., to James Bruce McCurry and Dorothy May Sansbury McCurry. Dotty spent her early years moving around South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, but she spent the majority of her formative years in Jacksonville, graduating from Englewood High School in 1968. The high school cheerleader, beauty queen and all-around school sweetheart carried those qualities into her adulthood and throughout her life, constantly and consistently encouraging, supporting and loving all she knew.

Dotty attended the University of Florida, where she was a proud Tri-Delt, and graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga after marrying Sid Foster in 1970. She taught high school English, speech and drama in Dalton, Ga., for several years before she and Sid moved to Myrtle Beach, where they had their daughter, Elizabeth Denise Foster, in 1976.

Dotty’s career in Myrtle started in the newsroom and advertising departments at The Sun News, and she then moved on to the promotions department at Myrtle Square Mall, where young Liz discovered a little too soon that Santa Claus was more of a vibe than an actual North Pole resident. Dotty continued in advertising with Coast Magazine and Carolina Lifestyles, and also worked in operations management with Sid’s insurance adjusting firm, Foster & Associates, Inc.

She spent time promoting state and local political campaigns, as well as school board issues and priorities. She was actively involved in the Grand Strand’s theater community, primarily with several Theatre of the Republic productions and Liz’s dramatic endeavors at Socastee High School, quite enthusiastically accepting her role as the 'drama mama.' She was fervently a part of Liz's years in competitive and travel tennis, in addition to Liz's scholastic and extracurricular activities. She was quickly and easily loved by kids and adults alike, with some of those relationships earnestly maintained for decades. She also was always game to traverse the waters near their Murrells Inlet home.

After moving to Charleston in 1993, Dotty pursued her next career adventure in the field of psychology, earning her master’s degree in counseling psychotherapy from Webster University. She trained at the Naval Hospital and Charleston County’s Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, briefly had a private practice on Broad Street downtown, and retired as an individual and group therapist from Charleston Mental Health Center, mutually admired and respected by her clients and her teammates.

Dotty married Jake Price in 2000, and spent long weekends at his family hunting cabin in Sandy Run, S.C., which quickly became one of her favorite things to do. She loved the peace and quiet of the woods, the serenity of the lake and a nice glass of pinot noir over a venison dinner. She even found herself sitting in a tree stand with Jake a time or two. One thing you can't deny about Dotty is that when she was in, she was all in.

She was an exquisite hostess, a kind and warm-hearted friend, thoughtful and generous neighbor, a doting 'Dot Dot' (grandmother), tender and dedicated mother, and best of all, an impassioned and expressive life of the party. A vibrant light of this world was extinguished with her passing, and the loss of her presence has created a tremendous hole where love and guidance were ever-present.

Dotty is survived by her daughter, Liz Foster, of Charleston; brother James B. McCurry Jr. (Peggy, nieces Megan McCurry and Meryl McCurry), of Atlanta; sister Sara McCurry Jackson, of Canton, Ga.; ex-husband Sid Foster (Wanda), of Jacksonville, Fla.; ex-husband Jake Price of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; stepdaughter Wendy Price Summer (Michael Matthews, grandsons Tyler Jones and Coley Jones), of Charlottesville, Va.; stepdaughter Kris Pratt (granddaughter Camden Pratt, grandson Cayson Pratt), of Daniel Island, S.C.; and stepson Joshua Price, of Charleston. She was predeceased by her parents.

Many thanks and much appreciation to the doctors, nurses, chaplains and personnel of Roper Hospital CICU and Summerville Community Hospice for their compassionate care during a delicate time.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pet Helpers, 1447 Folly Road, Charleston, S.C., 29412.

Arrangements by James A. McAlister, Inc. (843) 766-1365