Dorothy Dixon McAllister

Dorothy Dixon McAllister, age 96, passed away September 1, 2018 in Southern Pines, North Carolina.  Dorothy was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina to Frederic Seymour Dixon and Irene Byrd Dixon.  After graduating from Fayetteville High School, Dorothy obtained a bachelor’s degree in education from Salem College in Winston Salem, North Carolina.  While in college, Dorothy made her debut with the Cape Fear Assembly in Fayetteville, NC, and the Terpsichorean Club at the North Carolina State Debutante Ball in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Dorothy taught English at Fayetteville High School.  In addition to her job as a teacher, during World War II, she was a photographer at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she met her future husband, Milton James “M.J.” Soffe. Dorothy married M.J. in 1945. Dorothy and M.J. founded the company in the basement of their home that would grow to be M.J. Soffe Company.

Dorothy was an active member at First Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville and the Cape Fear Assembly.  She also volunteered at The Handicap School of Fayetteville.  She resided in Fayetteville until 1972, when she married Charles Donald McAllister. Upon marrying Charles McAllister, Dorothy moved to Southern Pines, North Carolina.   In Southern Pines, Dorothy enjoyed golfing, gardening, playing bridge with her friends, and volunteering at St. Joseph of the Pines Health Center’s Alzheimer’s Disease Unit.  Dorothy loved to travel and explore all that the world offered, and over a decades long time period she traveled over multiple continents and through even more countries.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Frederic Seymour Dixon and Irene Byrd Dixon, her first husband Milton James Soffe and second husband Charles Donald McAllister.   She is survived by her three children James Frederic Soffe and wife Nancy Harrington Soffe of Fayetteville, John Dixon Soffe and wife Nancy Breswitz Soffe of Wilmington, and Rene Dixon Soffe of Fayetteville.

Dorothy is also survived by her seven grandchildren.  James Frederic Soffe Jr and wife Abby Owen Soffe of Raleigh, Jennifer Rene Britt and husband Gary Eugene Britt II of Fayetteville, Kelly Soffe Pittman and husband Andrew George Pittman of Wilmington, Carroll Soffe Baker of Naples, Florida, John Dixon Soffe Jr and wife Vanessa Tovar Soffe of Fayetteville, Lauren Bradley Jenkins and husband Wyatt Douglas Jenkins of Fayetteville, and Kyle Sedberry Soffe of Raleigh.  In addition, Dorothy is survived by ten great grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, September 7, 2018 at one o’clock in the afternoon at Lafayette Memorial Park, 2301 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, North Carolina.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in honor of Dorothy Dixon McAllister to First Presbyterian Church at 102 Anne Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301.

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