Obituary of Doris Faye Alston

Doris Faye Alston (née Jennings) of Somerdale NJ, formerly of Eastampton NJ. Age 87 years, passed away on August 16, 2021. Beloved wife of the late Fred R. Alston, where they lived for 40 years before his passing. Loving daughter of the late Ella Mae Jennings and Clifton George Jennings, Sr. Devoted mother of Michael Alston, Michele Alston, Melora Alston, Eric Alston and the late Angelica Morton. Dear sister of her twin Doris Raye Brewer, Julia Anne Jennings and Clifton George Jennings, Jr. Proud grandmother of David Gibson, Kiona Fortune (née Fisher), Kareem Fisher, Robert (Austin) Morton, Doris Morton, Danyel Morton, Rachael Alston, Micah Alston, David Alston, Matthew Alston, Sr., Isaiah Gibson, Isaac Gibson, Malachi Toppin, Shanyah Gibson and the late Fredrick Morton, Therone Alston and Vinson Alston. Great grandmother of Daiquan Morton, Jibreal Morton, Jaleel Reddick, Aquila Reddick, Amir Morton, Da'Mier Morton, Sanai Morton, Sakeena Amon, Sabir Amon, Hanif Morton, Saleena Morton, Matthew Alston Jr., Micah Fortune, Aubrey Alston and Karl Gerome Alston and great grandmother of Izeem Gibson.

Doris Faye Jennings was born on January 12, 1934 in Marlin, TX to Ella Mae and George Jennings, Sr. She lived in Hearne, Texas and attended Hearne Public Schools. After high school, she attended and received her BS from Prairie View A&M College in Texas and went on to pursue additional studies and obtained Reading Certification in Washington, DC. She married her husband Fredrick R. Alston on December 10, 1955.

Doris taught reading in the Washington, DC Public School System for 6 years and the Northern Burlington Regional School System in New Jersey for over 28 years, where she received teacher of the year. Doris loved cooking, church, reading and gardening but was famously known for her Christmas cookies, banana pudding and her funny classroom stories.

At the age of 13, in September 1947, her parents attempted to enroll Raye and her at an all-white junior high school due to the uninhabitable classrooms at their local public school in Blackshear. They were of course rejected. Their father worked with the Hearne NAACP to file a lawsuit despite threats from local whites and outraged blacks who feared the consequences of this action. She and Raye were listed as plaintiffs the following spring with Thurgood Marshall representing them. While the lawsuit was unsuccessful, the Hearne litigation was the fulcrum of Marshall's winning strategy six years later in Brown v Board of Education. The sisters were honored with the Pioneer of Justice Award at the NAACP LDF'S 65th Anniversary of Brown v Board of Education ceremony.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing Friday morning 9:30AM-11:00AM at the COSTANTINO-PRIMO FUNERAL HOME, 231 W. WHITE HORSE PIKE BERLIN NJ 08009. Funeral service 11:00AM at the funeral home. Cremation will take place privately. Interment of ashes will take place privately in Brig. General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Wrightstown NJ. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Solid Rock Baptist Church at 420 S. White Horse Pike Berlin, NJ 08009. To leave lasting condolences or photos, please use the links on this page.