Dottie Hellard Brackens

April 19, 1933 - April 21, 2020

Dottie Hellard Brackens, 87, of Salisbury passed away Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at Atrium Health Stanly, Albemarle. Born April 19, 1933 in Davie County, she was the daughter of the late Carl and Ellen Ridenhour Hellard. She was educated in the in the Davie County schools and graduated from Cooleemee High School in 1951 Mrs. Brackens was a homemaker. She was a member of The Arbors United Methodist Church, formerly Gays Chapel United Methodist Church. To her grandchildren, she was known as Ma Ma Dottie. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Eugene “Gene” Brackens on November 13, 2008 and a daughter, Pamela “Sissy” Kistler of Spencer on October 18, 2016; brothers, J.D. Hellard of China Grove, Raymond and Carl "Brub" Hellard of Woodleaf and a sister, Colleen McDaniel of Salisbury . Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Deborah Brackens Melton and husband Todd of Albemarle, son-in-law, John Kistler of Spencer; grandchildren, Rusty Melton and wife Mandy of New London, and Felicia Amick and husband Matt of Unionville; great-grandchildren, Nic Melton, Abby, Ava and Aubrey Amick; and numerous nieces and nephews. A private entombment will be Sunday, April 26 with a Memorial Service to be held at a later date. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Amen. 2 Corinthians 1;3 NIV Deborah Ann wants to thank the staff in the cottages at Spring Arbor for their kindness and loving care of my beloved Mother. Also to Drs. Chris Agner and Wink Cline. Memorials may be made to Alzheimers Foundation, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor New York, NY 10001 or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society online at www.lls.org. Summersett Funeral Home is serving the Brackens family. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.