Dorothy Lee Carter Chenault, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, departed this life on the morning of Friday, January 14, 2011 at her home in Santa Maria, CA. The tenth of eleven children of Bishop Wayman Carter and Daisy Mae Carter, Dorothy confessed a hope in Christ early in life and became a member of Pleasant Green Baptist Church. She married her high school sweetheart and began her life as a supportive spouse to him throughout his career in the United States Air Force. As a military wife, she made homes in seven states and in the Philippines and was an active and devoted mother of four loving children.


She leaves to mourn her loss her husband of 53 years Earl K. "E.K." Chenault, Sr.; a son, Earl K. Chenault, Jr.; three daughters, Erica Ramsey of Charleston, SC; Earlita Chenault of Alameda, CA; and Elata Chenault of Oakland, CA; a son-in-law, Robert Ramsey; a granddaughter Keyisha Chenault Height; great-granddaughter Gabrielle Nakia Height; two brothers, Rev. Bishop E. Carter, Sr. of Lexington, Ky., and Mr. Joseph Carter (Rebecca) of Ft. Washington, MD; two sisters, Mrs. Pearl Chenault of Toledo, OH, and Mrs. Almeda Bosley (Augustus) of Washington, DC; sister-in-law Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Bryant (Dan); generations of dearly loved nieces, nephews, cousins; and the congregation at Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Lompoc, CA.



She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers George, Obed, Leonard, Eugene "Bill", and Ronald Carter; and sister U.G. Nora Carter.



Funeral services will be 9 a.m. Saturday, January 22, 2011at Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 201 South H St., Lompoc, with Rev. Ronald L. Wiley presiding. Burial will follow at Santa Maria Cemetery.

Visitation hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Starbuck-Lind Mortuary.