Dorene Eleanor Oster

Dorene E. Oster, née Klein, age 89, died peacefully in her sleep at home in St. Clair Shores, MI on Good Friday, April 15, 2022. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Craigen J. Oster, and infant daughter Patricia Ruth, and her older brother Wilbert Klein. She is survived by her six favorite children: Dennis, Catherine (Douglas) Kostuch, David (Kathleen), Joseph (Valerie), Paul, and Christine; and her cherished grandchildren, Michael and Matthew Kostuch, Eleanor, Joseph, Craigen, David Jr., Gladys, and Mary Ruth Oster, Samantha and Jessica Siciliano and Caroline Oster, and Evangelene and Sinéad Oster. She is also survived by her friend and sister-in-law Ruth Klein, and many nieces and nephews.

Dorene Eleanor Klein was born in Grosse Pointe on July 10, 1932. She and her older brother Wil were raised on the east side of Detroit by their mother, Eleanor Klein, and their grandmother, Wilhelmina “Minnie” Gorschall She was brought up in a strong Lutheran faith and attended Lutheran schools as a child.

After graduation from Detroit Denby High School in 1950, Dorene attended nursing school, where she met her future sister-in-law, Ruth Van Lare. She worked as a nurse at Deaconess Hospital in Detroit and among her accomplishments was setting up the emergency room and nursing stations there. She stopped working for a time to care for her best friend, Katherine, who eventually succumbed to cancer in her early 20’s.

During the 1950’s she was an avid Red Wings fan and went with her friends to house parties attended by Gordie Howe and other pro and farm club skaters.

As a young girl Dorene used to do cartwheels on the way home from school, past De La Salle on Detroit’s east side, and never imagined she would one day be Catholic or have grandsons graduate from De La Salle Collegiate High School.

She first met Craig on a double date; they were dating other people but she wanted to be with Craig instead. She practiced nursing and he studied law and sold cars. Her previous date’s Catholicism had been an impediment to a more serious relationship but apparently that was not a dealbreaker with this dashing, politically-minded former seminarian named Craigen. Their first date was listening to Adlai Stevenson speak. Her mother Eleanor was in attendance. Dorene became a Catholic and they married in 1958 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church and moved to St. Clair Shores. For the rest of her life she embraced and grew in her faith.

During the next decade, Dorene gave birth to seven children, and managed the chaos of the household with humor and commitment. She was a dedicated mom and wife, attending every sporting event and field trip, shuffling the kids to and from practice, and even chaperoning 6th grade camp with her best friend Jean Russo (a likely welcome break for the both of them).

If you were friends with her kids or grandkids or her husband, you became part of the family. There were always plenty of hugs and food to go around. Dorene had a warm and generous heart. She would bring gifts and meals to her friends at their businesses and homes and made sure everyone always felt welcomed and special. She had unique relationships with her mail carriers, her dry cleaners, her jeweler and almost everyone she saw more than once. Her children often didn’t understand why it was so crucial to pick up pies from the Cherry Hut in Beulah so she could pass them out to her friends. She adored and loved her myriad nieces and nephews.

With her family she traveled around the country and Canada with Craig and the kids pulling an Airstream and camped at national and state parks. She spent many weekends up at the family cottage on Bear Lake. Later she traveled to Italy and Israel and England and Ireland with her husband. While she wasn’t a traveler by nature, she remained devoted to her husband and family, and wanted to be where they were.

While she said she hated politics, she was deeply integral to many successful campaigns in St. Clair Shores. She and Craigen forged lifelong friendships through these activities that made the city a better place to live.

In her 50s she worked for a time at Russo’s Produce Plus, a market her dear friends owned and enjoyed pulling pranks and making jokes with Delores Mulrenin, her friend and partner in crime behind the bakery counter.

Dorene loved owning a car and driving around town to shop and visit her friends and family. She said that she only regretted the things she didn’t do, not the things she did. Later, when she had stopped driving, while she might initially decline an invitation to go to a grandchild’s game or event she would change her mind and call, saying “Pick me up!” Also, as she got less mobile, she loved going to the pool with Christine for exercise.

While the pandemic was hard on this loving and social woman, she still enjoyed getting out with her children or grandchildren to go for a drive and get a chai latte. She was always so appreciative and grateful and focused on her immediate companions. She loved sitting outside in a park, or attending mass while sitting in the car at St. Joan of Arc.

As her short term memory worsened, she remained optimistic, loving and other centered. She always asked questions about one’s life and family and friends. She rarely complained about her decline, and was a fierce defender of her loved ones. Dorene was the quintessential mom, grandma, aunt and friend.

She loved reading the newspaper daily and clipping out stories or comics or puzzles for her children and grandchildren. Dorene always had a wonderful sense of humor. She announced recently she would keep reading the paper that day since her name wasn’t in the obituaries.

Well, Dorene E Oster is in the obituaries today, and she would hope that the love and care she had for others continues to grow and spread in those who knew her.

Memorial visitation Friday, April 22 from 3-8 p.m. at Kaul Funeral Home, 28433 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores. In state on Saturday, April 23 at 9:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. Requiem Mass at St. Joan of Arc, 22412 Overlake, St. Clair Shores. Those unable to attend the mass can watch the mass at: https://sjascs.org/st-joan-live

Contributions in Dorene Oster’s name may be made to:

The Capuchins, St. Joan of Arc Church, and Defeat MSA.