Dorothy C. Spaulding

After a valiant battle with kidney disease, Dorothy Carole Spaulding passed away on March 17, 2021 at the age of 87. Dorothy was born and raised in Mt. View, Oklahoma and was the fourth child of seven. After high school on a trip to visit her sister in Michigan, she met Dave Spaulding and they began to correspond by letters over the next few months. She must have been impressed by his letters because when he visited Oklahoma to see her a few months later, he proposed and they were married on October 23, 1954. They made their homes in the Rockford and Grand Rapids area until they moved to Morley in 1960. A hard-working woman that set an example for her family, she worked full time at a variety of jobs over the next 30 plus years including Sears Catalog Sales, Morley State Bank and Michigan National Bank. She cooked everything from scratch, kept a huge garden, canned all of their food and sewed her children’s clothes. They raised cattle and horses and she made sure all four children were involved in school sports, 4-H and church events. Dorothy always missed her Oklahoma home and many fond memories were made with the Spaulding family in the back of their station wagon headed for a visit to see their Okie family each year. When they became empty nesters, Dave and Dorothy moved to Grand Rapids to be close to their adult children and grandkids who are the love of their lives. After retiring, she and Dave bought an RV and enjoyed their winters in Florida where they made many new friends. Dorothy and Dave have been very active members of Northlawn United Methodist Church of Grand Rapids for many, many years and they loved their church family very much. Dorothy’s love of her family is beyond measure and the love story with her husband Dave is one of strength, endurance and commitment and many have admired their 67 year love affair. Together they raised four children who survive, Debra Spaulding, Rick (Tori) Spaulding, Sue (Tony) Snavley, Scott (Denise) Spaulding; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Vera Dorrell; brothers, Ellis, Vic and Terry and her sisters, Verlin and Shirley. She is survived by her sister, Gloria and brother-in-law, Jasper of Mustang, OK; brother-in-law, Carl Wondergem of Morley and many nieces and nephews in Michigan and Oklahoma. She will be dearly missed but the family is rejoicing that she is in the loving arms of the Lord. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Spectrum Health Hospice or Northlawn United Methodist Church. The family will hold a private graveside service at Blythefield Memory Gardens. A celebration of Dorothy's life will be held in the near future at their church. Arrangements by Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs.