Dorothy M. Cage-Evans

Dorothy Mae Brunston Cage-Evans, loving wife and mother of two, passed away at 85 years of age, on October 7, 2019. She was born on November 16, 1933, to Raymond and Goldie Clair Brunston in Nelsonville, Ohio. She leaves to cherish her memory; husband Henry “Hank” Evans; children Michael (Betty) Cage and Melanie (Alonzo) Cage-Cates; five grandchildren, Michael Cage, II; Kristie Cates-Harris, Brandon Cates, Michael Smith, and Micah Smith; five great grandchildren Christian Wright, Krystn Harris, Michael Cates, Christopher Harris and Krystyna Harris; sister Marietta Douglas, and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Melvin Cage who was a devoted father to their two children; parents Raymond and Goldie Brunston; brothers David Larry Brunston, Russell Gene Brunston, and Paul Brunston; sisters Ruth Ann Evans and Janice Sue Mathews-Ward. She accepted Christ at an early age and became a member of New Salem Baptist Church. Some of her involvement included: Chair of the Stewardship Campaign, Evangelism and Hospitality Committees, served as the Coordinator of the Food Pantry Program, Holiday Outreach Project Coordinator, and Trustee. She, was a member of the Sims Cleveland Sunday School Class and the Scholarship Program Chair. Dorothy worked at the Defense Supply Center Columbus, known formerly as DCSC, and she had a strong focus on improving the lives of low-income, underserved and underrepresented individuals through her community service. She is a retired management analyst and longtime community volunteer with more than fifty years of community service. Her volunteer efforts included the American Cancer Society, Minority Health Month, Operation Feed, United Way, Black United Fund of America, UNCF, I Know I Can, American Heart Association, Diabetes Association, CMACAO, Junior Achievement, Southeast Christian Academy and much more. She was the co-founder of the Greater Columbus Community Helping Hands, Inc. The organization was founded as a way to provide young people with a helping hand as they transition from high school into college. In addition to helping students while they are in college. She has been a member of Continental Societies, Federally Employed Women, the King Arts Complex Women’s Service Board, NAACP, Twin Rivers Chapter of the Links, Inc., and City of Hope. She helped organize and establish the American Cancer Society Service and Information Center, which provided inner city residents access to information, education and screenings. It was the first prototype in this country. Dorothy was the first African-American female member of the American Cancer Society Franklin County Unit Board of Directors and served as an Ohio Division Trustee of the American Cancer Society. She has been an advocate for quality health care, cancer awareness, prevention, and service, as well as eliminating racism. Demonstrating a commitment to education, she established the Cage Family Scholarship Fund at the Columbus Foundation to support scholarships for African-American students. Of the more than 100 awards Dorothy received, she had a special appreciation for the Mayor’s Award for Volunteer Service, the Public Service Jefferson Award, Junior Achievement, American Cancer Society and United Way recognitions. In 2013, she was inducted into the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Hall of Fame, which was established to honor and preserve the memory of past associates for their exceptional leadership, service, dedication to duty, and contributions in supporting the DLA mission. An obituary on an amazing person such as Dorothy Cage-Evans can only reflect a faint glow in the writing thereof, but all who knew her will forever remember her light. Such a light cannot be darkened, it will glow forever. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to Greater Columbus Community Helping Hands, Incorporated.