Dorothy Elizabeth Tullis

March 5, 1927 - August 5, 2013

Dorothy lived a remarkable and full life. She died surrounded by her family and friends. She was the

Beloved wife of James V. Tullis

Beloved mother of Carol Bott, Donna Caps, Barbara Miller and Pamela Ruhl.

Beloved grandmother of Chris, Annie, Jason, Brian, Sarah and Collin.

Beloved mother-in-law of Michael Bott, John Caps, Fred Miller and Stephen Ruhl.

Beloved grandmother-in-law of Amanda Caps, Shaun Wightman, and Monet Miller.

Beloved friend and extended family of so many truly “pretty” and “handsome” people including DD, Don, and Carolyn Bott, Tom and Sue Caps, Hank Miller, Louie and Mary Ann Ruhl, Courtney Potter, Anne, Mark and Claire Rice, John and Angela Meeks, Joel and Treva Swicord, Dave, Pam and Amanda MacGurn and so many American Legion and military service members.

What you should know about Dorothy:

She was a Navy wife:

She transferred with Jim from Jacksonville to Key West, then to Pensacola(Carol) and back to Jacksonville (Donna), Florida. Then moved up to Newport (Barbara), Rhode Island and then back down to Norfolk(Pamela), Virginia. With all girls in tow she and Jim moved the family to Monterey, California and then down to San Diego. With one daughter already in college she and Jim packed up the household for a move to Subic Bay, Philippines. The return to San Diego was the final destination.

She survived Jim’s long deployments including Vietnam without the benefit of email and Skype and kept the home front going. She showed her girls what a little spit and ingenuity could do to hold things together. Every military wife knows the value of duct tape. Recently she was happy to learn that it comes in lots of colors now.

She was an amazing mom.

She had four very different daughters with different interests and she nurtured them all even though not one of them inherited her beautiful curly hair!

She served on the PTA Boards during her girls’ school years.

She was a room mother for class parties.

She was a Girl Scout leader.

She was great at helping you study your vocabulary -- even foreign language vocabulary.

She really was great at interpreting poetry.

She helped you find the perfect outfit for cheerleader tryouts.

Back when it was cool to sew, she took the time to show you how to do set in sleeves and button holes. She knew the best way to sew in a zipper.

She was an amazing grandmother.

She love all six of her grandchildren. She eagerly awaited each birth.

She loved babies. One grand child was conceived because of missing birth control pills. When the grandchild was born she told the daughter, “Now aren”t you glad those pills were lost?”

She loved going with her grandchildren to Disneyland.

She was a great grandmother-in-waiting.

She was happily anticipating the first great grandchild. She will watch over this great grandchild and those who follow with joy, love, and protection from Above.

She wasn’t a chef but ...

She made the world’s best fried chicken. Ask the sons-in-law. None of the daughters have yet to duplicate it.

She made the best gravy. Once again, ask the sons-in-law, especially Michael.

Her potato salad recipe was the best. This the daughters have managed to make with more success.

She could make a pineapple cherry cheesecake that matched the picture in her cook book.

She always made chocolate chip cookies to bring us when she visited.

She loved flowers.

She had a green thumb. She could just pinch your rose bush and the next season you would have the best blooms.

She loved pink roses.

She loved the hummingbirds that hovered over her flowers in her garden.

She was a member of the Bay Bridge Garden Club. Some of her arrangements won awards. But she wouldn’t tell you that.

She just loved people - period.

In her last years she would always tell the people she was with that she loved you. She would tell you to “stay pretty” or “stay handsome.”

She saw the world with eyes that loved.

She was beautiful.

Donations in her name may be made to The Heart Association or for flowers call 1 877 894 0431 use family code 50165P.or go to clairemontmortuary.com