Doris May Van Stone

Doris May "Dorie" Van Stone went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, July 28, 2019. A memorial service was held Thursday, August 1, 2019 in the chapel at Bethea Baptist Retirement Community, directed by Belk Funeral Home in Darlington, SC.

Dorie was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Lloyd Van Stone. She is survived by two children, Darlene Wood of Cherry Valley, AR and Burney Van Stone of Topeka, KS along with grandchildren, Daniel & Whitney Fields and their children, Darby & Savannah; Jeffery & Erika Armstrong and their children, Woodrow, Beckett & Agatha; Mathew & Lynsey Argo and their children, Abraham, Sylvia and Jedidiah; Derek & Adriana Wood and their children, Audrey, Ruben & Zulema; and Lorien & Don J. Duran and their daughter, Kadence.

Dorie was born Doris May Duckworth in Portland, OR on January 12, 1922 the daughter of Louis Augustus and Laura (Ferreira) Duckworth and placed in an orphanage at age six. She left the orphanage at age 13 and lived in four different foster homes. In 1946 she attended St. Paul Bible Institute where she met the love of her life, Lloyd Van Stone. The Van Stones were the first missionaries to the Dani tribe of Papua, New Guinea. They returned to the US after seven years where Lloyd pastored churches in Texas, Kansas, Minnesota, and Colorado.

After Lloyd's death Dorie was on staff with Precept Ministries International. Dorie loved and was active with Open Hearts Ministry for many years alongside her friend Sandy Burdick. She also became a founding board member of All God's Children International in 1991 and served in that capacity for many years. She served on the board of Forever Changed International in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where their orphanage was named Dories Promise in her honor. Dorie was known as God's Orphan Ambassador around the world. Later Dorie was part of Just For Women Ministries in Darlington, SC.

Dorie co-authored two books, Dorie, the Girl Nobody Loved, No Place to Cry, with Erwin Lutzer. She also authored Secrets of the Heart. She traveled around the world at least 13 times, sharing her story with thousands upon thousands of people. Her story was one of her love for Jesus and her love for people, a story of love through Jesus that brought healing to people who desperately needed to know they were loved.

Dorie is home now, with the loves of her life, Jesus and her Lloyd.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 a.m., Saturday, August 10, 2019 until the funeral service at 10:00 a.m. at Dove Cremations and Funerals, Southwest Chapel, 3700 SW Wanamaker Rd, Topeka. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Topeka.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church in Topeka to be used for Dorie's Promise which provides a home and services for children in Guatemala a program of Forever Changed International.

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