Dorothy S. Pharis

Dorothy Dean Stewart Pharis, an Ohio native and decades-long Alabama resident, died peacefully on June 1, in Cheyenne. In a life that encompassed teaching, reading, and raising her sons, Dorothy touched many with her gifts. She was a dedicated listener and a wise friend.
Dorothy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, February 24, 1923, to Albert E. Stewart and Katharine Dean Stewart. She attended Walnut Hills High School, excelling in theatre and literature. Dorothy subsequently majored in Speech and English at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, graduating with Honors. She went on to teach Speech and Theatre at Georgia Teachers College, in Statesboro, Georgia, where she met and married William L. Pharis. Dr. Pharis’s career as a principal and professor of education took Dorothy throughout America, including New York City; Lincoln, Nebraska; Falls Church, Virginia; and thirty years in Auburn, Alabama. She loved all of her homes, including her ultimate five-year residence at Whispering Chase in Cheyenne, where she made many friends.
Dorothy was a devoted wife, loving mother, and proud grandmother. Her passions for reading, theatre, writing and politics drove her interests and activities. Dorothy advocated throughout her life for causes that she believed in, including supporting survivors of breast cancer and LGBT equality. Dorothy’s love of books, music, and theatre influenced everyone; she delighted in literary and historical conversations.
She is survived by her son, Stewart Pharis, and his children, Thomas and Dorothy, all of Cleveland, Ohio; her son, Will Pharis, and his partner and her son-in-law, Richard Weinman, of Cheyenne, Wyoming; her sister, Marianna Stewart Mellon, of Jasper, Georgia; and by numerous nieces and nephews. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel. It was Dorothy’s wish that any memorials be directed to the Auburn Public Library, 749 Thatch Avenue, Auburn, AL 36830.