Dorothy Nelson

Born in Detroit to the late Harold and Marie VanWagner, Dorothy was a longtime member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. She was very active in the choir and many other activities in the church like the food pantry. She was also a member of the Warren Community Chorus. A graduate of Lincoln High School, Dorothy worked at Michigan Bell Telephone Co. until retirement in 1988. In her free time, she loved to play cards with family and friends who she stayed close with her entire life. She was known to go out with her “lunch bunch” which consisted of a rotating group of her friends and sisters throughout the years. She enjoyed staying active and going on different trips, remembering fondly the two cruises she went on. Dorothy made frequent trips to Shipshewana in Indiana to go to the flea market. Whenever she went on one of her trips, she always came back with different stories to tell about her adventures. When she was home in Michigan, she would go camping and enjoyed 35 years of boating, swimming, campfires, and entertaining friends from church at the cottage she and her husband Gilbert owned. In many ways her sisters were both family and her close friends and they enjoyed spending time together any chance they got. Holiday get togethers with the family were always held at her house and she loved to have her grandchildren and great-grandchildren around. When she wasn’t on one of her trips or hosting, Dorothy took joy in the simple things in life like reading, crocheting, and going to tea. Dorothy lived a full, happy life and will be dearly missed by all who survive her.

Beloved wife of the late Gilbert to whom she wed September 1, 1961 for 54 years. Loving mom of Kevin Nelson and Karen (Jimmy) Cool. Cherished nana of Dustin (Meghan), Charlie, Shauna (Matt), Nathan and Jacob (Meghan). Dear great-grandma of Ethen Griffen, Cecil, and Addy. Beloved sister of Barbara, Butch, the late Kathleen, Marie, and Fred. Also survived by many nieces and nephews who she thought of as her kids and best friends Michelle Grabowski and Shirley Mannikko.

Visitation Sunday, October 6th from 4pm until 8pm at A.H. Peters Funeral Home, 32000 Schoenherr Road, Warren, MI 48088. Visitation Monday, October 7th from 11am until time of Funeral Service at 12pm at A.H. Peters Funeral Home in Warren. Entombment at Cadillac Memorial Gardens East in Clinton Twp.