Dorothy Mae Rutkowski passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 28, 2018. Dorothy was born on May 29, 1932 in Suamico, Wisconsin, the youngest of eight children born to George and Frances Roderick. Dorothy is survived by four children: Gerald B. DeVillers, Denise L. Keith, Lisa J. Kelly, Lori L. Mulligan, five grandchildren: Scott Keith, Jonathan York, Steven DeVillers, Kimberly DeVillers, Brittany DeVillers, two great grandchildren, her sister Mary Van Oss and numerous nieces and nephews. Dorothy graduated from West High School in Green Bay where she played drums in the high school band.
In 1959 she married Robert (Bob) B. Rutkowski and began her new life as the wife of a career Navy man. Bob’s Navy assignments took the couple to Newport, RI, Norfolk, VA, Honolulu, HA, Long Beach, CA, and finally San Diego, CA where Bob and Dotty (as Dorothy was known to her friends) settled down and were able to buy their first home together.
After living in San Diego for almost twenty years, Bob and Dotty moved inland to Desert Hot Springs, CA and eventually to Pahrump, Nevada. During those years Dorothy and Bob enjoyed frequent rounds of golf and the relaxed lifestyle that the locations afforded them. Then in 2006, Bob passed away but Dorothy continued live in Pahrump until 2018, when failing health prompted her to move closer to family members in the Atlanta, GA area.
It was in San Diego, during the early 1970’s, that Dorothy encountered Jesus Christ and accepted Him as her Lord and Savior. For the rest of her life, Jesus was her passion and the foundation of her strength. She loved reading the Bible and reaching out to people with the Good News that Jesus died for them too. She was quick with a smile, a hug, and a willingness to listen to, and comfort, people who were suffering. She also wrote poems or verses inspired by her faith and loved to sing songs of praise.
Dorothy was at peace with her passing and, in her last days, frequently expressed her desire to go home to be with the Lord. She will be missed by the many people who loved her. She will remain with us in spirit and in our hearts.
A private memorial service celebrating her life was held by immediate family members and friends in the Atlanta area where Dorothy spent her last days.
