Aunt Dora- a living legacy
Legendary math teacher celebrates 103rd birthday
By FRANK BRADLEY Sentinel writer

Sentinel photo/Frank Bradley Aunt Dora is a longtime friend and mentor of Judy Lopez, whom Dora calls "Junebug."

Just looking at her, you might think Mrs. Dora was getting close to 80, or maybe she was a year or two past that. But if you though so, you'd be wrong. Wrong by a couple of decades.

On Sunday, Mrs. Dora Spiva turned 103. On Friday, they held a little shindig for her at the Brackett building behind United Community Bank, where 50 to 60 of her friends, former students and well-wishers turned out to celebrate the occasion with her. It was also an occasion when County Commissioner Lamar Paris proclaimed February 10th as "Dora Hunter Allison Spiva Day."

When Mrs. Dora was born, Theodore Roosevelt had just been elected President of the United States. The Panama Canal was under construction. The Russo-Japanese War was ending. World War I was almost 10 years away.

As Mrs. Dora grew up, she was educated in public schools at Choestoe and Old Liberty before attending the Collegiate Institute of Blairsville. After graduation, she began teaching at the Institute, which later became Union County High School.

Sentinel photo/Frank Bradley Bob Head and Bud Hill, former students of Aunt Dora, helped celebrate at the party held in her honor.

She taught Math and Latin. Classes she taught for 40 years. She also served as a counselor and principal. She was a much loved teacher because she was so considerate of her students.

Wanda Laster told me Mrs. Dora was her teacher 51 years ago. "She was very considerate, sweet and helpful," Laster told me.

She also taught Bob Head, Bud Hill and Carlton Colwell in the 50s. Hill said he took Geometry under her in 1955.

I'll never forget the first thing

learned," he said. "The shortest distance between two points is a straight line."

Hill went on to say that he is amazed at her memory, even now. "She taught just about everyone in the county in the 50s," he said. "And she still remembers most all of her students. Or if she doesn't, she makes you think that she does."

Bob Head said that he took Algebra from Mrs. Dora. So did Carlton Colwell.

Sentinel photo/Frank Bradley Wanda Laster, left, was one of Aunt Dora's students 51 years ago.

"Our history goes a way back," Colwell said. "Her husband, Frank, and my father were great friends. I took Algebra under her. She is the most amazing person I have ever seen. She was so kind, it made you want to excel in her class. She had such an even temper. I never saw her upset. She was such a leader in her profession."

Colwell said that even after he graduated and was working for General Motors in Atlanta, if he had a problem with math, he would call her for help.

Not only did Mrs. Dora give of herself as a teacher, she also served in many other capacities in civic organizations and in her church. She was a charter member of the Blairsville Garden Club and the Union County Retired Teachers' Association. She has been a member of Choestoe Baptist Church since childhood and helped organize the Baptists Women's Missionary Union, which she has supported for more than 75 years.

Judy Lopez told me that Mrs. Dora regularly attended the annual BWMU conferences throughout the state until she broke her hip a year ago.

"She really got into it," Lopez said. "She would stay up until 3 a.m. socializing."

Mrs. Dora told me that after she had broken her hip, she has not really been able to walk except around the house with a three-wheeled walker. She said her nephew, Charley Hunter calls her every morning to check on her, and another nephew, Buddy Hunter looks after her.

"He brings supper to me every night," she said. "I haven't driven in two years, but I got curious what Buddy was doing down at the barn below the house, so I told him I was going to get in the car and drive down there to see what he was doing. He didn't say much for a while, and then he told me, 'You go right ahead, and I'll take my tractor and pull you out of the lake.'"

Mrs. Dora said she decided it might be better for her not to take up driving again.