Title
Dr. James R. Dockery, 1929-2011
Subject
Government
Description
Dr. James Rufus Dockery was born on March 11, 1929, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. and died at the age 81, of Tuscaloosa, on March 1, 2011. He received his Doctorate of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Alabama Birmingham in 1955 after attending David Lipscomb College and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Biology. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, Psi Omega dental fraternity, and Omega Kappa Epsilon, National Dental Honorary.
He became a Captain in the United States Air Force and served in Tokyo, Japan as a Dental Officer for the 6,000th United States Air Force Hospital Dental Clinic and later at the MATS United States Air Force Base in Greenville, South Carolina. In 1958, he returned to Tuscaloosa to open a private practice of General Dentistry where he served his patients for over four decades. Also in 1958, he married his wife of fifty-two years, Sandra Boston Dockery. They had four children, who all married and blessed them with ten grandchildren.
James and his family were active members of the University Church of Christ. He became a Life Member of both the American Dental Association and the Alabama Dental Association, where he served on the Board of Trustees for many years. He was twice President of the Sixth District Dental Association. He also served as a member of the Druid City Hospital Regional Medical Center Dental Staff. He provided services for the Tuscaloosa County Health Department Indigent Care Dental Clinic and later was an originator of the Dentist Participation at CHOM for the Dental Health Week.
In 1996, Dr. Dockery was appointed to the Tuscaloosa City Council for the Fifth District. He proposed and worked with the City Council, Mayor, and Senator Shelby to have acreage donated to the City of Tuscaloosa from the Federal Government to build the Tuscaloosa PARA Leroy McAbee Center which also houses the “Dr. James R. Dockery” swimming pool.
For many years, he served on the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and in 2009, he was nominated by the group and became a finalist for Tuscaloosa County Citizen of the Year. He also belonged to the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Tuscaloosa Appeals Review Board, The University of Alabama Capital Campaign in 1983, the Indian Hills Country Club, Past President of Druid Civitan Club, Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce, the Mauvilla Hunting Club and many other civic and social groups.
Published in Tuscaloosa News on March 4, 2011
He became a Captain in the United States Air Force and served in Tokyo, Japan as a Dental Officer for the 6,000th United States Air Force Hospital Dental Clinic and later at the MATS United States Air Force Base in Greenville, South Carolina. In 1958, he returned to Tuscaloosa to open a private practice of General Dentistry where he served his patients for over four decades. Also in 1958, he married his wife of fifty-two years, Sandra Boston Dockery. They had four children, who all married and blessed them with ten grandchildren.
James and his family were active members of the University Church of Christ. He became a Life Member of both the American Dental Association and the Alabama Dental Association, where he served on the Board of Trustees for many years. He was twice President of the Sixth District Dental Association. He also served as a member of the Druid City Hospital Regional Medical Center Dental Staff. He provided services for the Tuscaloosa County Health Department Indigent Care Dental Clinic and later was an originator of the Dentist Participation at CHOM for the Dental Health Week.
In 1996, Dr. Dockery was appointed to the Tuscaloosa City Council for the Fifth District. He proposed and worked with the City Council, Mayor, and Senator Shelby to have acreage donated to the City of Tuscaloosa from the Federal Government to build the Tuscaloosa PARA Leroy McAbee Center which also houses the “Dr. James R. Dockery” swimming pool.
For many years, he served on the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and in 2009, he was nominated by the group and became a finalist for Tuscaloosa County Citizen of the Year. He also belonged to the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Tuscaloosa Appeals Review Board, The University of Alabama Capital Campaign in 1983, the Indian Hills Country Club, Past President of Druid Civitan Club, Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce, the Mauvilla Hunting Club and many other civic and social groups.
Published in Tuscaloosa News on March 4, 2011
Source
Tuscaloosa News Archive
Contributor
Brenda Harris (Description)
Type
Photograph
Identifier
744
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)