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Fort Scott local Doris Jones honored on 90th birthday
Dressed impeccably as always, her snowy hair curled softly about her face, Doris Jones sat before her 90th birthday cake and, with an impish smile, scooped up a fingerful of frosting and popped it into her mouth.
At noon on Tuesday, Jan. 30, two of Fort Scott's oldest community service groups came together -- nearly 60 people in all -- to honor the lady who has kept them in tune for more years than some of the members have been alive. The Fort Scott Kiwanis Club, for whom Doris has played piano for more than 50 years, and the Fort Scott Rotary, for whom she has done the same for about 35 years, met together at the Fort Scott Country Club, along with members of her family, to express their appreciation for her dedicated service and to show her the depth of their friendship.
Even during this special get-together dedicated especially to her, Doris took her usual place at the piano, focusing on her music while a photographer snapped pictures. Again and again, his shutter clicked as he watched her fingers dance across the keys, recreating one of many familiar melodies she has played for these groups over the years.
After she received a plaque to commemorate the occasion, the Fort Scott High School show choir, led by music instructor Pat Harry, serenaded Doris with a vocal rendition of "Turn Around, Look at Me."
Rotary President Gary Palmer and Kiwanis President Denny Heidrick both spoke of their admiration for Doris.
Then, longtime Kiwanis member Maurice Fletcher recalled her many years of service to her church, the music lessons she taught, and how she used to play piano for all the practices and performances of the annual minstrel show the club used to present back in the 1950s.
"Doris played for those two (performance) nights," he said. "She played for all of those nights that they were practicing, and that was many nights. I don't know how she found time to keep a house and raise two fine children and take care of her husband, but she did it."
Before yielding the floor to her next admirer, Fletcher called for everyone there to sing a special song for Doris -- a song she had, no doubt, accompanied them on countless times -- "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." And they did, with enthusiasm.
When Rotary member and vocalist Phil Hammons took the floor, he paid tribute to the lady who has performed with him so often for audiences at local nursing homes and residential facilities.
"Doris is one of the kindest, sweetest, gentlest people that I have ever known in my life, and she has meant so much to me, that I'm glad that I was asked to share a few moments," he said. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather have accompany me on the piano than Doris Jones."
As with each speaker who preceded him, the entire group seconded Hammons' comments with applause.
The honoree said little, or maybe her voice was too soft for most of the group to hear. But she smiled, exuding a radiance that warmed everyone around her.
Before adjourning, Palmer closed with his own comments about what he saw and felt from the other Rotary and Kiwanis members there.
"There sure are a lot of people in this room who think a lot of you, and people that love you, too," he told her.
Speaking of the esteem in which all those attending hold her, Palmer thanked Doris for her faithfulness to both clubs throughout the years.
Hammons may have meant to speak for himself, but he undoubtedly spoke for the entire assembly when he said, "She's an inspiration to me, and I can't think of anybody that should be honored more than Doris."