Dorothy May Hutton Tudor, 80, of Columbia, SC, passed away on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Born on December 31, 1944, in Newport News, VA, she was the daughter of the late Albert Krehan Hutton and the late Edith May McKay Hutton.
Dorothy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from The College of William and Mary in 1966. Following graduation, she joined NASA at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA as a data analyst, and was employed there at the time of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. She was proud to have worked alongside Mary Jackson, whose legacy was highlighted in the book and film "Hidden Figures."
She began her second career as a full-time mom in 1971 and returned to work in 1980 at The University of South Carolina, in their Computer Services department. She retired from the university in 2014 after a career that spanned the evolution of technology from computer punch-cards to HTML and the world wide web.
She was a founding member of St. David's Episcopal Church. She contributed to the church in many ways over the years, including serving on the vestry, participating in the altar guild, volunteering with the youth group, and singing alto in the choir. She taught her daughters to harmonize singing at church, in the car, and in the kitchen. Her love of singing and choral music extended beyond the church, as she spent several years performing with the professional choral group, the Arpad Darazs Singers.
She loved cats, the Atlanta Braves, and the South Carolina Gamecocks. She was smart as a whip, with a wonderful sense of humor. She was passionate about human rights, equity, and justice. She loved her family and friends dearly, and she especially loved to dote on her grandchildren.
Survivors include her daughters, Beth Eskridge (Paul) of Columbia, SC, and Emily Strickland (Andy) of Rome, GA; and two grandchildren, Brendan and Lily Strickland of Rome, GA.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Carol Hutton.
The funeral service for Ms. Tudor will be held at 1 o'clock, Saturday, September 13th, at St. David's Episcopal Church, with Father William "Scotty" Brock officiating. Interment will follow in the Memorial Garden at the church. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 o'clock, Friday evening at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St. David's Episcopal Church, 605 Polo Rd, Columbia, SC 29223.