Dorothy Jean Lapekas

Dorothy Jean Lapekas, 93, of Louisville, passed away November 19, 2017.

She was born April 14, 1924 in Bryant, Indiana, the daughter of Clarence and Daisy (Kretsinger) Brinkerhoff. She was a graduate of Bryant High School in Indiana and Rockland Community College in New York. On February 21, 1947 she married Frank Lapekas, of Decatur, Michigan.

Dorothy had a very full and active life. Music was always an important part of her life, coming from a musical family. Like her mother, she was a pianist (and organist) in every church she attended and was a piano teacher for many years. During WWII, she worked at Percy Jones in Battle Creek, MI, where she met her husband, Frank, and they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary before he passed away. One of her proudest achievements was attending nursing school and getting her degree when she was in her 50's. She was an accomplished bowler and bowled on a league until she was 90 years old. She and Frank were avid square dancers, reaching the challenge dancing level and attending conventions all over the country. They traveled all over the world and often made mention of the fact that they had traveled to all 50 states of the U.S.A. In their retirement years, they spent summers volunteering as campground hosts in several national parks. After moving to Colorado, she became an avid Rockies fan, attending many games and even catching a Todd Helton foul ball. She loved keeping in touch with family and friends and visiting them on their many cross-country trips. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.

Dorothy is survived by two daughters, Janelle Carlisle and Cindy (Ron) Nielson; and grandson, Tom Carlisle; step-granddaughter, Landon (Kelcey) Pettit; step-grandson, Trevor Jens Nielson; and step-great-grandson, Aidan Paul Pettit. She is preceded in death by her husband, Frank Emil Lapekas; daughter, Janine Anne Casalinuovo; parents, Clarence and Daisy Brinkerhoff; sisters, Irma Milligan and Pauline Schmidt; and brothers, Howard Brinkerhoff, Burton Brinkerhoff, and Donald Brinkerhoff.

Memorial contributions may be made to TRU Care Hospice at TRU Community Care Administrative Office, 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Lafayette, CO 80026 OR https://www.trucare.org/.

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