Mrs. Doris Naomi Ruthledge Spain, 83, of 711 S Elm Street, earned her wings with her family by her side, after a 6 long year battle with Alzheimer’s, late Friday evening.  Doris, or as she is affectionally called Doodley, has now joined her father, mother, sisters, Margaret Rutledge Reeves, Anna Rutledge Pratt Robertson, Eunice Rutledge Smith, brothers Herbert Rutledge and Wink Rutledge.

A funeral service will be held at 2pm on Monday, June 4, 2018 at Fair Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow service in Ridge-View Memorial Gardens.  The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 6-8 at Fair Funeral Home and other times at the residence.

Doodley was a faithful member First Presbyterian Church and loved her church family very much .

From an early age, Doris enjoyed sports.  She played high school basketball, and up until a few years ago, Jay would take her to the Girls ACC Tournament for her birthday.  She also took up duckpin bowling starting at the old Spray YMCA, and later the lanes were moved to the Draper Lanes. Doris was a very competitive bowler with having some of the highest games and averages for Ladies Duckpin Association.  She bowled on National tours, from NC. Virginia, Maryland to Rhode Island.  She passed her love of bowling to her daughters, her son-in-law, and her sisters and nieces.  We all bowled with her for many years.  She was inducted into the Eden YMCA Sports Hall of Fame by Bones McKinney for her many years of bowling.  Another love of Doodleys, was going fishing to Harkers Island.  As long as Jay would drive the boat, she along with her sisters would fish all night.  She also loved to travel with Jay in their motor home. Another love of Doodley was square dancing and she and Jay was a member of the Eden Promenade Club for years.   They took trips all over the United States most of the time with her sisters, and good friends, Audrey and Sylvia.  Then Doodley and Jay discovered Pigeon Forge, TN and fell in love with it.  Doodley loved to go to Dollywood and listen to her “boys”, The Kingdom Heirs!   She always thought they were singing just to her and a lot of the time they were!

Doodley was a beautician for over 55 years, she worked out of her shop that Jay built for her in their home.  This way she could along with her customers could babysit her grandchildren as she worked.  Between customers, you could find her teaching Brian and Ben how to catch a ball, or shoot basketball at the goal Jay had put up.

Doodley loved her family.  Jay was the love of her life they were married for over 62 years.  She was very proud and very supportive of her girls, Anita and Michelle, and their husbands, Keith and Kenny.  In the past year, when no one else could get Doodley to eat or drink, Kenny could.  He could always get her to smile.  No one was a bigger fan at the ballgames and hollered at the referees or umpires when Brian, Ben, Summer and Brandon were playing sports.

Doodley survived by her husband, James “Jay” Spain; her daughters, Anita Spain Jennette and husband, Keith, Michelle Spain Curry and husband, Kenny; her grandchildren, Brian Shockley, Ben Curry and wife, Sarah, Summer Craddock and husband, Brandon, Brandon Harbour and fiancée Destiny Roberts; great-grandchildren, Grayson Harbour, Emersyn Curry, Denver Craddock; and great-granddaughter due in September, Charliegh Curry; sister, Lillie Purdy; sisters-in-law, Thad Walker and Yvonne Light; and many nieces, nephews and extended family.

The family would like to thank Dr. Hasanj for the many years of taking care of their mama; the staff of Advance Home Health, mama and the family fell in love with her nurse Linda Walker and her Aid Felicia Brown.  Also would like to give a special thank you to the Staff of Rockingham Hospice, especially her nurse Ron Harris, they all were so gentle and loving with their mama.  And a special thank you to Donna Taylor for the care she gave for the past six months.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Spain’s memory to Hospice Home of Rockingham County; 2150 NC-65, Reidsville, NC 27320

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com