Dorothy J. Brunsdon

Dorothy Jane (Conley) Brunsdon, born on June 10, 1932, died on May 2, 2014 with her family by her side.

She was born in Clawson, Michigan to Bertha and Charles Conley. Southerners by birth and by choice, her parents moved to Michigan following the Great Depression where her father found work in the automotive industry. Hard working, strongly spiritual and dedicated to family, Dodie grew up as the third of six active and independent children. The shiest of the bunch, Dodie thrived when surrounded by her family, especially her sisters – Sally, Mary, Alice, and Kitty, and her brother Charlie.

After high school Dodie met the love of her life, William Elgin Brunsdon, while singing in the church choir. Music and singing were passions she maintained throughout her life and passed on to her children. Together Dodie and Bill raised four children while living in Royal Oak, Michigan where they attended the 1st United Methodist Church. Dodie worked in secretarial positions where she earned the respect of management and colleagues alike.

Aside from singing in choirs, Dodie was often found playing piano and church organ, enjoying her gardening, sewing, and reading mysteries. Central to her life was her dedication to her children, siblings, and nieces and nephews. Dodie was the one making the Halloween costumes, playing piano for the school play or community theatre, baking the pie for the church gathering, hosting "Garden Parties", and organizing everyone to get exactly where they needed to be to do exactly what needed to be done. She owned the moniker "The Whip" for good reason!

Dodie and Bill moved to Colorado after their retirement, joining several of their children. In her Colorado life, she sang in church and community choirs, tutored 'English as a Second Language' students, mentored elementary school children, quilted family heirlooms, camped in and hiked her beloved Colorado mountains and reveled in the lives and the love of her grandchildren. In her last few years, as dementia took her memories she never lost her deep spirituality, and her loving, kind nature shone through the increasing loss of her sense of self.

Dodie is predeceased by her mother, father and brother, Charlie. She leaves behind her loving husband, William Brunsdon, her beloved sisters Sally, Mary, Alice, and Kitty, as well as her children William, Bruce, Diane, Robert, her many nieces and nephews, 8 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Wellshire Presbyterian Church on Friday, May 9th, 2014 at 1:00 PM.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Wellshire Presbyterian Church Music Fund in Dodie Brunsdon's name.