Dorothy J. Maxwell

Dorothy Jane Maxwell, 96, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 11, 2020 at her home in Washington, DC. She was born on April 1, 1924 in Broad Run, Virginia to the late George Washington Dixon and Mary Catherine Cassie Elizabeth Colvin. She was the second youngest of three children born to this union. She had one older sister, Anne Carter, and one younger brother, George Dixon, who died of chicken pox at one year old. Catherine worked in Washington, DC, while Dorothy attended public school in Virginia and was raised by her grandmother, Mary Jane Phillips. Her grandmother was married to Edward Mercer, and his sister, Mary Jane Mercer Foulks, also helped raise Dorothy, whom Dorothy fondly called mother. At the age of 10 Dorothy's mom remarried Thurman "Papa" Colvin, and Dorothy moved to Washington, DC. Dorothy attended the District’s Morgan Elementary School and Francis Jr. High School while temporarily staying with her aunt, Ossie Kelly. Aunt Ossie often took Dorothy with her to work as a domestic. Dorothy loved to sing, read and write creatively. The marriage of Dorothy Dixon and George Maxwell produced five children. The second youngest, Michael, succumbed to pneumonia after childbirth. Dorothy continued her creative pursuits at Metropolitan Baptist Church as a member of the choir while her children Dorothy Joan, David, Catherine, and Sandra attended Sunday school. After Dorothy and George separated, Dorothy worked various jobs. George had a better job and took the children to live with him. After the marriage ended, a relationship with James Adams produced a son who bore his name. Dorothy was naturally a cheerful and supportive caregiver often donating her time as an active community supporter and volunteer. She was very artistic and used different mediums to express her creativity. She spoke from the heart and was known for sending inspirational messages to family and friends. Her love for people was genuine. She wrote poems to reflect her wisdom and sentiments of current events and the mood of the day. Through one of Dorothy’s friends, when she was a waitress, she met Harold Scott, a chauffeur. Their union enriched her family with Deborah Scott and Michelle Scott. Dorothy was happiest singing and she had a beautiful voice. She would often sing at concerts produced by her son David, a professional musician. Sometimes he would accompany her. If she had formal voice training, she could have been a professional singer. Dorothy loved to meet people, and never knew a stranger. Although Dorothy never had a driver's s license this never stopped her from going anywhere. She would walk mostly everywhere. She always found a way to get to her destination, as was often seen with her children in tow. She loved travelling and often did so with her daughters. She made numerous trips to see Catherine and Sandra who lived in Israel and California, respectively. When she returned from Dimona, Israel, where she learned about Christianity from an Afrocentric perspective, she brought back a deeper appreciation for her belief in God and her family history. Smitten with the travel bug she vacationed in the Bahamas and within the United States. She always said, "I'm going to Vegas or I'm going to Jamaica." All her children also had strong faiths, beliefs and practices. Recognized as a matriarch not only to her family, but to the children in the community, Dorothy attended community meetings and worked on issues to improve the neighborhood. She volunteered to work with the Red Cross at DC General Hospital in the 1970s. Her neighbors always wanted Dorothy to speak at meetings because they knew she was a good advocate. She worked with organizers, and her daughter Dorothy “Joan”, to enact a "no lemon law' and other consumer protection measures in the District of Columbia. She was recognized by the Metropolitan Police Department Boys and Girls Club for her work with at-risk youth. Her last job was as a teacher's aide at the Occupational Training Center, which specialized in training youth with disabilities. She received numerous plaques and honors from management for her work with special needs children and reported to now Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray. Dorothy helped raise her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. She was a passionate advocate, and her youngest daughter, Michelle, nicknamed Mickey, became her constant partner. They traded roles of friend, advisor, confidant, caregiver, mother, and daughter. Dorothy taught Mickey to become a caregiver and coached her while she took care of numerous family members and her “play daughter” Alexis, then her children. Mickey joked that some adventures reminded her they were like ‘Laverne and Shirley,’ and they had nick names for each other. When Dorothy traveled, she quickly established new relationships. In turn, as family and friends lived far and wide, including the United Arab Emirates, Mickey made sure to display all the pictures, stuffed animals, and cards they received from them. Dorothy also loved flowers and she always said, "give me my flowers while I'm alive." She frequently had different flowers throughout her home; you could smell them when entering each room. She loved all kinds of music -- country, soul, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, opera, classical, and pop music. As rap music was growing in popularity, Dorothy would write poems to music and rap. Her children would call her the "rapping grandmother." If she didn’t know the words to the song, she would ad lib the words. It was more interesting to hear her sing a song with her new lyrics. Her favorite song of late was Frank Sinatra's "Always." She would sing the song and pat her feet to the music. Her love for people was genuine. Dorothy was an amazing woman, who touched everyone's heart. She was God’s gift to us. After He made Dorothy, He broke the mold. No one has come close to being Dorothy Jane Maxwell and no one will. We cherish the time we had with her. She leaves to mourn – Children: Dorothy “Joan” Monroe, Sandra Maxwell Harper, James Adams, Deborah Scott, and Michelle Scott; nieces, Anne Elizabeth Carter and Camille Deanne Trawick; and a host of family and friends. Her family legacy includes: Daughter Sandra Maxwell Harper (John): Grandchildren Tonya Schofield and Angelique Winston; Great Grandchildren Brandi Wallace, Rachel Wallace, Rika Trotter, David Hall, Kayla Sims, Charity Hall, Brooke Winston, Vershante Blackmon; Great-great grandchildren Samari Manning, Darren White III, Brandon Charles, Serenity Childs (Caleb Childs, deceased), Matthew Wallace, Stephen Charles, Justice Nickerson, and Cecil McKennen. Daughter Catherine Cogdell aka Soyini Ahmad/Odeliyah (Robert): Grandchild Afi Samira Umayma (deceased); and Grandchild Rasheed Abdurrahman (Darlene Pinnock); Great grandchildren Brice Pinnock and Zoe Abdurrahman. (Zayd Ahmad) Grandchild: Sekou Ibraheem Ahmad (Nasirah); Great granddaughters Hurriyah Ahmad and Aseelah Ahmad; Grandchild Sekou Luqman Abdul-Hakim Ahmad (Sabirah); Great grandchildren Laylah, Maqsud, Salmaan, Latif, Umayr, Bashir, Muath; (Malika Jarv) Linah and Adam: (Rasheed Muhammad) Grandchild Saleemah Muhammad; Great grandchild Saamira Jackson. Daughter Dorothy Joan Maxwell Monroe (Preston): Grandchild Preston Monroe, Jr.; Great Grandchildren: Tanekea Washington, Preston Turrentine, and Taylor Monroe; and five Great-great grandchildren; Grandchild Robert J. Monroe; Great grandchild Robert P. Monroe; Great-great grandson Nyeem P. Monroe, and Great-great granddaughter Kaliningrad Monroe. Son James Adams (Roberta Hillary): Grandchild Adonis Adams (Katrina); Great Grandchildren Tkeyah Adams, Briana Davis, Adoniyah Jones, Delani Young, Malia Adams, and Adonni Adams; Great-great grandchildren Isaiah Hassan and Gabriel Davis. (Fayette Vaughn/Aiesha) Grandchild James W. Adams, Abraham Adams, Malik Adams, Anisha Johnson, Shadawn Aikens; Great grandchildren Juma Adams (deceased) and Keon Smith. She was preceded in death by her parents the late George Dixon and Mary Catherine Cassie Elizabeth Colvin; her son David Maxwell; her daughter Catherine Cogdell; her granddaughter Afi Samira Umayma; grandson Jumah Adams; and her sister Anne Elizabeth Tracy. ORDER OF PROGRAM Processional Invocation Rev. Nichele Carter-Peterson, Metropolitan AME Church Selection Precious Lord Take My Hand Rita Henderson Accompanist Solomon Sparrow Reading of Scripture Old Testament Psalm 23 Tonya Schofield Reading of Qur’an Surah 1: Verses 1 - 7 Sekou Ibraheem Ahmad Surah 9: Verse 72 Surah 3: Verses 133-136 Selection How Great Thou Art Rita Henderson Pianist Solomon Sparrow Words of Comfort Acknowledgements of Cards and Tributes Rasheed Abdurrahman Viewing of Slide Show with Song “Always” by Frank Sinatra Reading of Obituary Deborah Scott Tribute Adonis Adams Eulogy Rev. Nichele Carter-Peterson, Metropolitan AME Church Closing Selection: Nobody Knows the Trouble I See Ms. Henderson and Mr. Sparrow Final Viewing by Children Benediction Rev. Nichele Carter-Peterson, Metropolitan AME Church Recessional Interment National Harmony Memorial Park

Dorothy J. Maxwell

April 1, 1924 - October 11, 2020