“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. Ms. Brickhouse, Grandma, Aunt Doris, Deacon Brickhouse, Ms. “B”  Deacon “B”. This is the message Doris Brickhouse carries for the youth: believe in yourself, trust God, respect yourself and others, and know that your life can become something meaningful.

For Doris, faith is not separate from service, but rather exactly what guides her life. As a deacon at the Church of the Open Door, she believes in living a life that is pleasing to God and using that life to care for the people around her. Through the church, Doris has led numerous programs for Youth and Women. Leading the biweekly Youth Fellowship for over 40 years, bringing young people together for games, conversation, fellowship, and Bible study. She also leads a “Women Only” group for more than 20 years, gathering women on the first Friday of each month for conversation, support, and spiritual encouragement, with women joining through Zoom from all different parts of the country. 

That same spirit of service shaped her work at P.S. 287, where she served as a school aide for 40 years. Throughout those four decades, she became a trusted presence in the school community. Students turned to her for encouragement, parents sought her advice, and teachers and administrators relied on her steady support. Her impact reached far beyond the classroom, touching generations of young people and their families. What gives Doris the greatest joy is watching those same young people who grow up, graduate, and move forward in life return and thank her. That’s when she knows the time, care, and advice she gave truly mattered.

Her service to her community also continued for over 10 years with the Navy Yard Boys & Girls Club and her involvement in the Farragut community center, where she continues to build relationships with children, parents, and families throughout the neighborhood. To Doris, community is family, composed of everyone who cares for one another, respects one another, and shows up when support is needed.

Many people know Doris as “Grandma,” “Auntie,” or simply “Miss Brickhouse.” To her, those names represent trust, respect, and the relationships she has built across generations. She’s been able to do this not by forcing advice on young people, but rather by being honest, available, and present, so that when they are ready to listen, they know someone is there.

Doris Brickhouse’s legacy is found in the lives she has touched. She gives thanks for her family, Mr. Gene Brickhouse, their daughter, Charisse, granddaughter Cicely, sons Tracy, Emmanuel and Chris, his wife Gail, her good friend Denise Evans and her church family. Their love, support, and faith have helped shape who she is, and Doris would not be herself without them.