Dorothy S. 'Dotty' VanOrman
Obituary
Dorothy S. 'Dotty' VanOrman
Longtime Clam Gulch resident Dorothy S. “Dotty” VanOrman died Tuesday, April 4, 2006, at her home in Clam Gulch. She was 77.
A celebration of her life will be held in the late spring at the homestead, with the date and time to be announced.
Mrs. VanOrman was born Sept. 4, 1928, in the village of Chisholm, Minn., where she was raised and graduated from Nashwauk High School in Nashwauk, Minn. She owned and operated various small businesses with her husband, Stanley VanOrman, before she retired in Santa Barbara, Calif. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Clam Gulch in 1980.
She was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post No. 10046, Ladies Auxiliary and of the Ninilchik Senior Citizens Center. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading and especially loved spending time with her family.
“Our mom and grandma absolutely loved everything about the rural lifestyle of Alaska. Dotty will be missed with all our hearts, but when her flowers bloom and the sun shines down on us, we will feel the warmth of her never ending love. Until we see you again, Mom, Grandma, we’ll love you forever,” the family said.
Mrs. VanOrman was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Ester Suoja; and husband.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Darelene and Michael Merlo of Kenai; son, Tom Shannon of Kenai; sisters, Florence Ray of Clam Gulch and Joyce Schultz of Aitkin, Minn., and Jean and her husband, Terry McColler, of Nashwauk; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ernest and Jan Suoja of Homer and Wayne and Georgia Suoja of Tower, Minn.; granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Tawny and Tim Osmar of Ninilchik; great-granddaughters, Nicole Osmar of Kasilof and Merissa Osmar of Ninilchik; great-grandsons, David and Daniel Osmar, both of Ninilchik; and numerous nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made in Mrs. VanOrman’s memory to Hospice of the Central Peninsula, P.O. Box 2584, Soldotna, AK 99669.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.