Dorothy May Fedewa, age 83, of Portland, passed away peacefully Monday evening, February 11, 2008 at Hospice House at Sparrow Hospital, surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her husband Vernon E. Fedewa, her sister Kate Weller, and her parents Raymond and Anne Cross. Dorothy is survived by a large and loving family, including ten children, twenty-three grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren.
Dorothy is also survived by her twin sister Doris Shattuck, her sister Barb Day, and her brother Clare Cross.
Dorothy's children are: Valarie Erwin and her husband Doug; Tonya Fedewa and her husband Michael Nowik; Brad Fedewa; Brian Fedewa and his wife Annette; Wendy Cole and her husband Don; Gregory Fedewa and his wife Jerie; Jan Tefft and her husband Michael; Christopher Fedewa and his wife Lisa; Andrea Krueger and her husband Larry; and Lynne Duram.
Dorothy will be sadly missed and forever remembered by her grandchildren: Stacey Lahr, Michelle Girard, Allison Koetsier, Jessica Demeter, Rebecca Nowik, Johanna Nowik, Angela Nyquist, Tracy Gollehon, Brian Scott Fedewa, Jeremy Fedewa, Amy Jo Johncox, Derek Cole, Gregory Dalton, Andrew Fowler, Crystal Gleason, Tyler Tefft, Chad Fedewa, Cole Fedewa, Savannah Marshall, Nicholas Marshall, Michael Krueger, Britney Sullenberger, and Jordan Sullenberger.
In addition, Dorothy leaves a growing legacy of great-grandchildren: Lindsi Laing, Leah Laing, Logan Laing, Lexie Lahr, Madelyn Paul, Brady Jenkins, Morgan Nyquist, Drew Nyquist, Olivia Nyquist, Brynn Gollehon, Rachel Johncox, Sarah Johncox, Kylea Nummer, Ella Fedewa, Madison Fedewa, Conner Gleason, Jenna Pepin, Austin Pepin, and Maddox Krueger.
Dorothy Cross and her twin Doris were born in Sebewa on February 3, 1925. Dorothy converted to Catholicism shortly before her marriage to Vernon E. Fedewa on Valentines Day in 1947. Dorothy and Vernon raised ten children at their home in Portland. Dorothy was employed for 16 years by Meijer, beginning at the initial opening of the Lansing store in 1967. Vernon and Dorothy frequently enjoyed camping and fishing in Cadillac and spending time with their loving family and friends. Dorothy was an avid Bingo player, playing often in Portland. With the onset of Alzheimer's in 2002, Dorothy and Vernon moved to Ingham County Medical Care Facility, where they spent their last years together. Dorothy has been a long-time member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, in Portland. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, friend and neighbor, who was kind and generous in both deed and spirit, and who was always there to lend a helping hand to others.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 14, 2008 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 140 Church Street, Portland. Rite of Committal will follow at Portland Cemetery. Dorothy's family will receive friends at the Schrauben-Lehman Funeral Home, 210 East Bridge Street, Portland, on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. The rosary will be prayed at 3 p.m. and a Scriptural Wake Service will be prayed at 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations to be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Lansing Resource Center, 1210 West Saginaw, Lansing, MI, 49815 or Hospice House at Sparrow Hospital, St. Lawrence Campus, PO Box 30480, Lansing, MI, 48909.