Doris Elizabeth Dehart

Doris Elizabeth DeHart was born on July 11, 1918 in Moore, (Prospect Park) Pennsylvania, the first child of Arthur and Alice (Heald) DeHart.  In the coming years, Doris would be joined by two sisters, Agnes and Retta to make the DeHart family complete.

During Doris’s growing up days, the family continued to live in the Philadelphia area, making a home in Chester.  Doris’s father was a carpenter by trade, but thoroughly enjoyed amateur photography, resulting in a lot of photos of Doris throughout her childhood.

Following completion of high school in 1936, Doris found employment in the office of the Ewing-Thomas Corporation, a silk mill, located in Chester.  During this time the family attended a local church pastored by Dr. A.L. Latham.  At some point, Doris became sure of her trust in Jesus Christ for her salvation and wanted to use her life in service for others.  To this end, she enrolled in the Prairie Bible Institute, where she studied for 5 years, culminating in graduation in April 1945.

Soon after, she applied to SIM for service in Africa.  When asked what her motive was for wanting to serve as a missionary to Africa, she simply replied, “to do the will of Christ.”  She was accepted for service and sailed for Africa in the spring of 1946.

For the next 36 years, Doris served wherever SIM asked her to go throughout the country of Nigeria.  Instead of asking where Doris served during her career, it might be easier to ask where didn’t Doris serve? Doris writes that during her first term, following language study at Minna, she was moved every 6 months and served at 7 different stations.  During her second term, she only moved twice.  Whether it was Kwoi, Kagoro, Jos, Miango, Egbe or many other places, she was found to be faithful in her ministry.

In 1982, Doris retired from full-time service with SIM and eventually settled in the SIM Retirement Village in Sebring, FL.  However, in some ways, retirement was just a new beginning.  She became an active member of Bible Fellowship Church and participated in several short term mission trips, to places such as Jamaica, Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico.  She was particularly touched by the needs of children, and spent endless hours sewing clothes that she would then send to be used for needy children.  There was an article in the local newspaper in 2004, telling the story of her sewing ministry.  Her last mission’s trip to Mexico was made at the age of 92.

Apart from mission trips, Doris had the privilege of travelling extensively to visit friends and loved ones. Canada, England, and New Zealand were all places she was able to visit special friends, as well as various points in the U.S., to visit relatives.  She was also able to be a care giver for her two younger sisters in their last days in Pennsylvania.

On her application for missionary service with SIM in 1945, Doris was asked, “Do your parents approve your taking this step?” Her response was, “Yes, but not overly so.  They are afraid of what may befall me.” What befell Doris, was a full, rich, adventurous life, full of love and service to others. August 29, 2021, seventy-six years to the day from the reception of that application, at the age of 103, Doris DeHart entered the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Thursday, September 9, 2021 at  S.I.M. Retirement Village in the chapel.

Arrangements entrusted to:

Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home

4001 Sebring Parkway

Sebring, FL 33870

Online condolences may be left at:

www.stephensonnelsonfh.com