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Dorothy Petty

April 17, 1923 - February 16, 2015
Kalamazoo, MI

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Visitation

Thursday, February 19, 2015
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM EST
St. Mary's Catholic Church
939 Charlotte Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
(269) 342-0621

Service

Thursday, February 19, 2015
10:30 AM EST
St. Mary's Catholic Church
939 Charlotte Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
(269) 342-0621

Burial will take place at Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park. Following the burial, food and fellowship will be shared at Fr. Bart Hall.

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Kairos Dwelling
2945 Gull Road
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
(269) 381-3688
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ambati
1830 S. Westnedge
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(269) 349-4961
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Dorothy Petty lived life to the fullest while holding her loved ones near. Guided by an unwavering faith, she was a woman who was content in all things with a certain spunk that was all her own. Dorothy wasn’t afraid to do things her own way, and it has been said that she was both determined and persistent as well. A more devoted wife and mother would be hard to find, but she would also say that there was nothing like being a grandmother. Dorothy was always thoughtful, considerate, and concerned for others whether family, friends, or just people she knew of within her community. She leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that her loved ones will forever cherish.

It was great to be an American during the vibrant decade of the Roaring Twenties. Because of the wide implementation of the assembly line, cars were more affordable for the average American, which allowed people to see places they had only dreamed of. Radios, washing machines and refrigerators, and motion pictures in both color and sound were also signs of the time. It was amidst this exciting time that John and Gertrude (Peters) Hook were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as the beauty of spring began to unfold in the community of Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1923. It was with great joy that they announced the birth of the baby girl they named Dorothy H. on April 17th. She was the sixth of eight children in her family, and she was raised in the family home on the South side of Kalamazoo alongside her siblings, Robert, Lucille, Norbert, Marguerite, Josephine, Shirley, and Barbara.

In many ways Dorothy was a young girl of her generation. She enjoyed things like slow-poke suckers and playing softball in addition to being with family and friends. Dorothy attended St. Joseph and St. Augustine High School.

Now a young woman, it was while at a USO dance at Fort Custer that she met the young Army soldier of her dreams. His name was Harry Petty, and just three weeks after they met he was deployed during the days of WWII. They corresponded through letters while he was serving for three years, their love deepening over time. On October 7, 1947, Dorothy and Harry were married at St. Joseph Church, deeply in love. The newlyweds headed off for a fun-filled honeymoon in Chicago. Nine years later they started a family, and together they welcomed three children including Greg, Mary Anne, and Julie into their hearts and home. Dorothy and Harry raised their children in the home they bought on Bronx Street, and this was the place they called home for the rest of their lives. She took great care and pride in nurturing their children and providing for her family as she was fantastic in the kitchen. Among Dorothy’s specialties were her brownies, sauerkraut, chop suey, pot roast, fried chicken, burgers, and lemon cake. She also made it seem easy to maintain the home and take care of the various household duties.

Throughout her life Dorothy was a bustle of activity. She loved entertaining with neighbors and friends or heading out of the home to dance the night away. Dorothy was a game player who loved playing bingo, cards, and Yahtzee with friends, and she could often be found sitting on the front porch, or playing lawn darts at family picnics. At home she never missed one of her soaps on CBS, especially her favorite, The Young and the Restless. Dorothy also kept up on the news by watching CNN and reading newspapers, and she loved laughing along with Everybody Loves Raymond as well as reading various magazines. She was a longtime member of St Mary’s Church where she was actively involved in different programs and volunteering in a variety of ways. Dorothy never did learn to drive, and since she was afraid of being on the road she didn’t travel much. She did take smaller trips up North and also went to Tennessee on one occasion.

Although it was difficult for Dorothy after her husband died, she continued to delight in the things that brought her joy. She cherished her role as a grandmother, and since the sun rose and set with her grandchildren they could get away with everything when she was around. Dorothy was thrilled that some of them lived right up the street, and it was common for her to feed these grandchildren lunch every day during the summers. She loved spending any amount of time with her family and always asked why they had to leave at the end of their visit. Dorothy did her best to live with heart disease, which became progressively worse through the years. She loved watching her family grow, and it was amazing how she just melted when she got a baby in her arms.

When reflecting on the life of Dorothy Petty, words such as steadfast, religious, and vibrant come to mind, however, her unending love for her family will be her lasting legacy. She could be strong willed and persistent, but she was a woman who felt strongly about her beliefs and passions. A lifelong resident of the community she loved, Dorothy enjoyed keeping up on everything that was going on around her. Although life will never be the same without her here, she leaves behind a timeless legacy that her loved ones will carry on.

Dorothy H. Petty, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, died on February 16, 2015, at Kairos Dwelling, Kalamazoo. Dorothy’s family includes her 3 children: Greg Petty (Mirjana Stancic), Mary Anne Petty, and Julie Petty; 4 grandchildren: Kyle (Shannon) Remmert, Kevin (Heather) Remmert, Kate Petty, and Michael Petty; sister, Barbara (John) Stafinski; and many nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death her husband, Harry Petty and by 6 siblings: Robert Hook, Lucille Pickett, Norbert Hook, Marguerite Ernst, Josephine Busby and Shirley Grubka. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church where a time to visit with the family will begin at 9:30 a.m. Burial at Mt. EverRest Cemetery followed by a luncheon at Fr. Bart Hall. Please visit Dorothy’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a favorite memory or photo and sign her online guestbook. Memorial donations may be made to Kairos Dwelling. Life Story Funeral Home-Betzler 6080 Stadium Dr. Kalamazoo- 375-2900

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