Cover photo for Dr. Doris Jean Seats Barlow's Obituary
Dr. Doris Jean Seats Barlow Profile Photo
1943 Dr. 2022

Dr. Doris Jean Seats Barlow

July 27, 1943 — November 1, 2022

Dr. Doris Barlow was born to the parents of Lue Wilbert Seats and Elizabeth White Seats. She was the oldest of four siblings: Juanita Seats Chunn (deceased), Ora Lee (Reverend Dr. William Easley), Robert Lewis Seats (deceased), and Omega Seats (died shortly after birth).


Doris joined the Seats-Chapel Holiness Church (Family Church) in Henderson County, Cedar Grove, TN at a very young age. Doris grew up participating in the church. She sang in the choir and participated in Sunday School.


She grew up on her father’s large farm, following him around the farm, trying to do whatever he did. She fell down many times but got up and continued with whatever job he gave her, whatever he was doing outdoors. Doris was very fond of her father.


Education was very important to her parents. They wanted a much better life for their children than traditional farm work. It was their dream that all children should and would attend high school since they had to quit school after the eighth grade to work. In a number of rural areas, it was common that local Boards of Education decided that Black children did not need to go to high school. Her father purchased his own school bus because Henderson County did not provide transportation for Black children to go to high school. Her father went throughout the community taking students to high school.


Doris attended Montgomery High School, in Lexington, TN. She played basketball, she was a drum major, cheerleader, and public speaker. She read at least 40 books a year, in addition to her textbooks. Each year at school, she would win the book award given to outstanding readers.


After graduation, she received a four-year scholarship to Tennessee State University, where she majored in Business. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.), later her Master of Arts Degree (M.A.Ed.), and further studies receiving her Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.) in Curriculum and Instruction. Finally, in 2000, she received he Doctorate of Education Degree (Ed.D) from the University of Kentucky in Educational Leadership.


Dr. Doris S. Barlow received three (3) full scholarships during her college career. She was committed to giving back to others. She began donating a $50,000 ($2,500 a year) for deserving students to go to college in West Tennessee. Later she and her husband (Joe) began donating $100,000 to the Dr. Doris S. Barlow Scholarship Fund at Rockland Baptist Church. Several scholarships have already been awarded.


During her work career, she taught at Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge, TN, Madison High
School, Madison, TN; Whites Creek High School, Nashville-Davidson County, TN; Nashville
State Technical Institute; Tennessee State University in the summers; Madisonville North Hopkins High School, Madisonville, KY; part-time at both Western Kentucky University; Bowling Green, KY; and Murray State University, Murray, KY.


Doris was a Career Ladder Evaluator in Tennessee and served as a Highly Skilled Educator in Kentucky. Additionally, she was appointed by two different Governors of Kentucky to serve on the Educational Professional Standard Board.


Doris was member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Links. In addition , she was very active in local, state and National Educational Associations. She was President of the following Associations. Pi Omega Pi Honorary Society, Kappa Delta Pi Honorary Fraternity; The Tennessee Business Education association, and the Hopkins County Education Association.


Doris traveled widely across the United States visiting all 50 States, and various foreign countries around the world to include Athens Greece, Sydney Australia, Tokyo, Japan, Nova Scotia, and Canada.


Doris was married to Dr. Joe E. Barlow, Jr. a retired school administrator and retired LTC. Col. of the U.S. Army Reserves. she had one son, Victor Smith (deceased 2016) (Shari) and two stepchildren, Jill Barlow, and Joe E. Barlow, III (Angela). Doris is also survived by her sister Ora (William); her niece and nephew; Cynthia R. Chunn Johnson (John); Nashville, TN, and William W. Easley, III (Sonja Tyler) Upper Marlboro, MD, and a host of cousin and friends.


Family and friends may send their contributions to the Dr. Doris Barlow Scholarship Fund: Rockland Baptist Church, 103 Rockland Heights, Hendersonville, TN 37075


Memorial services for Dr. Doris Barlow will be streamed live on the Facebook Rockland Baptist Church.


https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/D554J2PCL46SGNW3
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Saturday, November 12, 2022

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