Dr. Dorothy L. Lord passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021, in Fernandina Beach, Fla., following a courageous battle with Alzheimer's. Lord was born at home on the family farm in Suwannee County, Fla., on Aug. 15, 1942, to A.J. "Jack" and Louise Lord. As a life-long scholar, she excelled in academics and graduated from Suwannee High School, as the Valedictorian of her class, in 1960. She attended Florida State University (FSU), receiving her bachelor's degree in 1964, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Lord had earned two master's degrees at FSU by her early 20s. In the mid-60's, she held various teaching positions at Georgia Southwestern University in Americus, Ga. In 1972, she was the first female to be awarded the Education Professions Fellowship from FSU, earning her PhD in Administration of Higher Education in 1975.
Lord married Walter E. Kiracofe in 1977 and continued her career as a professor, dean and, later, as vice president of academic affairs at Edison Community College (now Florida Southwestern State College) in Ft. Myers, Fla. It was at Edison that her passion for making community changes through education began, as she stepped out of the classroom into academic leadership roles.
The final chapter of her storied career began in 1991, when as a young widow, she was selected out of 187 candidates to be the president of Brunswick Community College (now Coastal College of Georgia).
Lord was the first female president of a two-year college in Georgia. Lord's longstanding leadership was instrumental in turning the two-year community college into a four-year university. But, when asked, she would always say her proudest accomplishment was the 2004 establishment of The Camden Center, a satellite campus to serve the needs of the Kingsland, Ga., area. It was created with a focus to encourage minorities to pursue higher education. She personally spear-headed the project, securing private donations and endowment funds for this facility that is now a major college campus.
Lord's accomplishments also include the 2005 Florida-Times Union Eve Award for Education, the 2003 Meritorious Service to the Commission on Colleges Award and the 2006 Emory Dawson Humanitarian Award.
Lord was a member of various organizations, including the Rotary Club, where she was a member for over 40 years and was a Paul Harris Fellow. She was a long-time member of the Pilot Club in both Ft. Myers and Brunswick. Lord was a member of the St. Simons Baptist Church for many years and later attended Amelia Baptist Church in Fernandina. Lord was a member of and in leadership roles in a multitude of academic fraternities, including: Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Alpha Theta, Pi Sigma Alpha, Kappa Delta Pi, Delta Tau Kappa, Garnet Key, Silver Key National Society and Theta Epsilon. She was also selected to become Provincial President and founder of Kappa Delta at Georgia Southwestern University. Lord was a team leader with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) where she was responsible for the accreditation process for hundreds of institutions of higher learning.
In 2008, Lord retired from Coastal College of Georgia and moved from St. Simons Island to Fernandina Beach, where she resided with her husband, Leonard G. Hogle. Lord is survived by her loving and devoted husband, brother, Sidney Lord (Patricia), Live Oak, Fla. and sister, Barbara Lord (Jeffrey) Barber, Cape Cod, Mass. While she never had children of her own, she treasured her niece and nephews: Adrienne Lord (Kevin) Grant, St. Johns, Fla; Jackson (Michelle) Lord, Live Oak, Fla. and Zachry (Molly) Barber, Cape Cod, Mass. She is also survived by five great nieces and five great nephews. Lord was preceded in death by her first husband, Walter Kiracofe and her parents A. J. and Louise Lord.
Graveside services will be held at Philadelphia Baptist Church on Wednesday, May 5, at 11 a.m. with her great niece, Carter Suzanne Grant, officiating. Online contributions may be made in Lord's memory to the Minority Outreach Program at College of Coastal Georgia: https://bit.ly/minorityoutreachprogramdonation or to the Alzheimer's Association: http://bit.ly/AlzheimersAssociationDonation.
Please sign the guestbook at www.danielsfuneralhome.com.
Daniels Funeral Home in Live Oak, Fla., is in charge of all arrangements.