LifeStoryNet.com

Life Story Funeral Homes®
The exclusive providers of the Life Story Experience

 

Life Story Funeral Homes®
The exclusive providers of the Life Story Experience

Dorothy Gauntlet (Milham)

July 29, 2016
Kalamazoo, MI

//cdn.lifestorynet.com/fh/obituary-default.jpg

Obituary


Print

Gauntlett, Dorothy E. (Milham) Kalamazoo, MI Died Friday morning July 29, 2016 at her residence. She was born in Kalamazoo April 20, 1924, the daughter of the late Allan B. and Eleanor Nelson Milham and was one of the last remaining local descendants of John Milham, who came to the Portage area in 1845, where he and his many sons farmed. Gauntlett attended the Training and State High schools connected with Western Michigan State Teachers College, now WMU. She graduated from Wells College in 1945. She worked in New York City the following year and spent the remainder of her life in Kalamazoo. Before she married Jack Curtis Gauntlett in 1949, she worked in the Society Department of the Kalamazoo Gazette. She was a volunteer most of her adult life, starting with Service Club of Kalamazoo (now Junior League of Kalamazoo). She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and an honorary member of The Every Friday club. She and Jack had two children, Eleanor Nelson (William) Wickes, Westport, MA, and Thomas John (Melissa) Gauntlett, Sanibel, Florida and Shelburne, Vt., and five grandchildren, Helen (Poli) Nightingale and Bennett Wickes, and Laura (Erik) Taylor, Anne and John Gauntlett. She was thrilled to meet her great granddaughters, Larken Nightingale, in January 2016 and Alexandra Taylor, in May 2016. She was preceded in death by her husband Jack in 1999, her brother, William B. Milham II, in 1977 and his wife, Jane Milham, in 2015. She is survived by the Wickes and Gauntlett families; her sister Emily (Robert) Carpenter, Costa Mesa, CA and her two sons, Robert and David Carpenter; a stepson, Roger Gauntlett; her brother's sons, Allan and William Milham; and Deborah Gauntlett, her former daughter-in-law and best friend. She was fortunate to have seven step-grandchildren and nine step-great grandchildren, who tried to keep her young. Dorothy lived with very high standards, was well read and wielded her sense of humor until the very end. She was admired and loved and will be greatly missed. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. There will be no visitation. Memorial contributions may be directed to her favorite local agencies: Ministry with Community and SLD Read. Arrangements were made by the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick St. Please visit Dorothy's personalized webpage for online guestbook or to leave a condolence. www.langelands.com.