Dorothy Irene Colvin

Dorothy was born in the Depression and grew up in Memphis, TN. She would take a bus downtown to Beale Street to shop and take dance lessons. An only child, she dearly loved her cousins Benny and Louise. She was in high school when she met her future husband, Bill Colvin. Together they attended the University of Tennessee at Martin and Knoxville, where she studied child development and taught her first students.

Moving to the Detroit area after college, Bill and Dorothy joined the Detroit Folklore Society and attended Churches of Christ. Dorothy could play guitar, banjo, autoharp and dulcimer. She became an accomplished player of recorders of various sizes. Dorothy taught for Lamphere Public Schools for many years as a kindergarten teacher, and also taught home economics. She raised two children, Anne and Joel. Her family attended folk festivals and dances and camped throughout the U.S. and Canada. A talented seamstress and needleworker, she also enjoyed home decorating and gardening.

Her divorce and loss of her son brought sadness. But she enjoyed years of travel to Europe and Asia. With her good friend Nickey she spent winters in Panama City Beach FL. Her later years were spent in Pinckney enjoying her grandchildren Sam and Claire, the company of friends from dancing and church, and her beloved pets.