DORIS F. WOOLDRIDGE, 94, was smiling as she entered Heaven’s gates from her bed at Paris Regional Medical Center on Thursday December 10, 2015 surrounded by loving family.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Monday December 14, 2015 in the chapel of Starrett Funeral Home with Patrick Cannon officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, where she will rest beside her beloved husband Jack.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Doris was born in the Shady Grove community of Lamar County on July 21, 1921, a daughter of Haywood Newton and Sarah Ellen Whitney Simmons. She was a graduate of Lamar County schools, then earned an Associate of Science degree from Paris Junior College. On February 6, 1944 she married Jack V. Wooldridge in Trenton, New Jersey. Together they opened the family business, Wooldridge Home Appliance, in 1960, and over a half-century later they continue to meet the needs of customers throughout Northeast Texas. Doris was a woman of strength and dignity, yet never lost the common touch that enabled her to become friends with virtually everyone who met her. Her constant smile was indicative of the joy she had within, and she brought happiness and encouragement to all in her presence, even when circumstances might suggest otherwise. She had served in numerous capacities in the Order of the Eastern Star, the Business & Professional Women’s Club, Altrusa Club, and was named a Texas Life Member of the P.T.A. She gave of herself not only to the family business and to these organizations, but to her Lord, whose leadership she followed in all aspects of her life. She was a member of the Lamar Avenue Church of Christ, yet her love and forbearance for those in need crossed all denominational lines. It could be said that she set the ultimate example for faith and goodness in her relationships with both family and friends.

In 1988 she suffered the untimely loss of her beloved husband Jack, yet through her grief faced life with her perpetual smile and positive outlook. In addition to Jack she was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Mildred Sharyer, Charlene Holmes, and Mary Helen McDowell; and a brother, Morris Simmons.

Doris is survived by four children, Joan Foster and husband Larry, of Murphy, Texas, Mary Kay Schwartz and husband Bob, of Dallas, Larry Wooldridge and wife Jeri, and David Wooldridge, all of Paris; grandchildren, Roby and Sarah Schwartz, of Spokane, Washington, Hunter and Clare Schwartz, of Richmond, Virginia, Ellen K. Martinez, of Murphy, Brittnee Wooldridge, of Dallas, Stephen Wooldridge, of Powderly, Blake and Lori Wooldridge, of McKinney, Brooke Wooldridge, of McKinney, Heather Caley, of Livermore, California, Meredith Foster, of Concord, California, Michael and Crystal Foster, of Fresno, California; great-grandchildren Hayden, Cameron and Kyle Schwartz, of Richmond, Virginia, Ian, Ryan, and Zachary Schwartz, of Spokane, Washington, Taylor, Adam, Cameron and Savannah Caley, of Livermore and Connor Foster, of Fresno; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends who loved her.

Named to serve as pallbearers are Bob Schwartz, Roby Schwartz, Hunter Schwartz, Stephen Wooldridge, Blake Wooldridge, Mike Kennedy, Earl Wayne Kerby, and Mark Wallace. Honorary pallbearers are Hugh Anthony, Paul Garrett, Derald J. Bulls, Michael Huddleston, and Richard Lee.

In lieu of usual remembrances, the family requests memorial contributions to Arms of Hope, formerly Boles Home for Children, 7065 Love Street, Quinlan, Texas 75474 www.armsofhope.org , or to the Paris Junior College Memorial Foundation, 2400 Clarksville St., Paris, Texas 75460, www.parisjc.edu .