Dorothy Lou McDade

Dorothy Lou McDade, 95, of Quitman went to her heavenly home on October 9, 2021.

Dorothy Gilbreath McDade was born on January 22, 1926, in the Forest Hill Community to Carrie (Sarver) and W.W. Gilbreath. She grew up working on the farm like most country kids and went to the Forest Hill Baptist Church. Her grandparents were one of the founders of the church. They walked to the Forest Hill School and went into Quitman for high school.

After school, she went to Dallas to work. She started at a company that made hats. She made lots of beautiful hats. After that, she worked for a man who owned three shoe stores as a cashier. She’d take the money to deposit at the bank with a couple of bodyguards escorting her.

When she came back to Quitman in the late 1940’s she started working at the Variety Store. During that time they moved the location of the store across the street. Everything had to hand carried to the location. Dorothy had two kids to support so she decided to start beauty school in Tyler but finished in Dallas. When she completed her studies, she started working for Lonicate Pitman in Quitman around 1950 and stayed several years. She loved Lonicate and Johnny, but it came time for her to go out on her own. She opened her first beauty shop, McDade Beauty Shop, off the courthouse square just down from Lonicate’s. After several years on the square, they moved the McDade’s Beauty Shop to a location on Winnsboro Street across from the hospital. She was there until she retired at the age of 78 after working over 50 years. Earnest started a lawn mowing business after he retired from the bank. Dorothy would help with the mowing. Often, if they knew an elderly person was unable to mow their own yard, the McDade’s would mow it for them.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband Earnest McDade; her 7 brothers and sisters; and grandsons Gregory and Joseph Krosnoff, and Kevin McDade.

She is survived by her daughters Mary Elaine McDade and Cam Krosnoff, and many other family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 12, 2021,at Lowe-Gardner Funeral Chapel at 1:00PM with Services following at 2:00PM. Burial to follow at Clover Hill Cemetery.