Lifelong local educator, Dorothy Jean Tobias Clemmons passed from this life at the age of 88 on August 25, 2011 following a lengthy illness. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, James Alton Clemmons of Chipley, Florida, a son, James Allen Clemmons, M.D. of Chipley, a daughter Edith Marie Clemmons Prescott of St. Simon's Island, Georgia, and four grandchildren, Nathan Allen Clemmons, Elizabeth Marie Prescott, Richard Allen Prescott, and Robert Alexander Prescott.

She was born May 3, 1923 in Chipley, Florida to Ladislav Tobias and Marie Wilhemina Benda Tobias and graduated valedictorian of the Chipley High School class of 1941. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from the Florida State College for Women (now Florida State University) in 1945, and following a brief time teaching in the Chipley school system, completed her Masters Degree at the University of Florida in 1949 shortly after which she married James Alton Clemmons of Chipley in August of that year.


After a brief tenure teaching elementary school in Bonifay, she then taught English and Spanish and served as a class sponsor for many years at Chipley High School until 1967 when she accepted a teaching position in Language Arts and Spanish at Chipola (then Junior) College. While in that capacity she co-authored an English textbook and served on an editorial board for a college Spanish textbook as well as served as a member of the honorary educators' society Delta Kappa Gamma. Near her retirement from teaching at Chipola, she earned her Doctoral Degree at Florida State University in 1992 where her personal career in education was highlighted in remarks made at the graduating ceremonies for all attending to hear. Additionally prior to retiring, she taught at the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville, and then following retirement spent her personal time with family and with gardening and writing Christian children's stories for publication.

Along with her husband, she was a member of First Baptist Church of Bonifay, Florida for 62 years where she served in innumerable capacities through those years including teaching Sunday School and other training programs, leading young women's mission groups, serving as church pianist and assistant organist, and serving on many church committees. Only lingering illness in the final years of her life slowed her life-long enthusiasm for doing things with her family, serving in her church, and teaching and developing the lives of young people. Funeral Services will be held Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 3:00 P.M. in the First Baptist Church in Bonifay with the Rev. Bernie Enzor and Rev. Shelly Chandler officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. at the church. Interment will follow in Glenwood Cemetery in Chipley. Flowers are being accepted, however it was Mrs. Clemmons request that contributions be made to Florida Baptist Children's Home, 8415 Buck lake Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32311.