For more than three decades, Dorothy Fennell and her husband, Merle, gave through ministry, serving several congregations in Jacksonville starting in the late 1970s.
“We pastored Riverside Assembly of God for 10 years. We were at Orange Park Assembly down on Knight Boxx Road and then we were at Maranatha Assembly of God out on Soutel,” Dorothy said. “At Christmas time, when we pastored, I couldn’t stand that so many people didn’t have a place to go. They were always invited to our house. My son never knew who would be with us for Christmas, but that was just me and that was part of me.”
Dorothy, known as Dot, said they were happy serving the community — until Merle got sick…