Dorothy Norma Kobs

Dorothy was born on November 19, 1928, to Harris Ray Leavitt and Mary Alice (Cayford) Leavitt in Islay, Alberta, Canada. Her early life was spent in the tiny town of Dewberry, Alberta, where her father ran a general store with help from Dorothy, her brother Bob and sister Donna.

During World War II, the family moved to Hamilton, Ontario, which was sometimes called "the Pittsburgh of Canada" due to its large steel industry and history as a manufacturing hub. Dorothy then attended Westdale Collegiate Secondary School, where she played volleyball and basketball.

After graduating from high school, she enrolled at St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Hamilton, where she earned her RN certification. Soon thereafter, Dorothy and another nurse moved to Ann Arbor, MI, in search of work and adventure.

Once she secured the required employment permits and certifications, Dorothy began working as a nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital, where she rose to become head nurse in the neurology ward. There she met a young, broke, but promising medical student named Robert Kobs.

The couple soon fell in love. They were married on April 21, 1956, at the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor. After Robert completed his medical training, they moved first to Lima, Ohio, where their first child, Sarah, was born in January 1957.

Soon thereafter, they moved to Jackson, MI, where they would live for the remainder of their long lives and 65 years of marriage. The couple soon became regular fixtures of Jackson’s growing community, which they loved. Their son, Peter, was born in 1958, and second daughter, Julia, in 1964.

Dorothy volunteered her time and talents at many local organizations, including: Meals on Wheels, reading enrichment programs for local schoolchildren, a county health department service program for the developmentally disabled, Junior League, the Tuesday Club, the Friday Club, the University of Michigan Alumnae Club and bridge club. She helped launch the Ella Sharp Museum in the mid-1960s and was a proud booster for the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.

Social dancing in the “Crusaders” dance club was a special favorite for Dorothy and Bob, as well as the Jackson Follies performance group. They were also both members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for decades, where they served on many committees and the vestry.

Throughout the years, Dorothy and Bob made many lifelong friends in Jackson, while maintaining close ties to those in East Lansing and Ann Arbor. Dorothy loved entertaining and cooking. She also had a passion for world travel, artwork and decorating their home for the holidays.

Dorothy went back to the University of Michigan to earn her bachelor’s of science degree in nursing in 1976. She later taught pharmacology to prospective nursing students at Jackson Community College.

Her hobbies were many and diverse, including gardening, skiing, socializing, reading about her Canadian heritage and watching “Perry Mason” with her beloved husband. Later in life, Dorothy followed the national and international news closely, commenting frequently on various issues of civic interest. She was also a long-time participant in the “Silver Sneakers” exercise program run by the Jackson YMCA, and previously enjoyed group exercise classes at JCC.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her parents, Harris and Marie (“Ree Ree”) Leavitt; and her brother Bob Leavitt. She is survived by her sister, Donna Browning and her husband Barry; her oldest daughter, Sarah Kobs; her son, Peter Kobs; her younger daughter, Julia Kobs Kelble; her grandsons Austin Kobs and Jonathan Fullman; and by many nieces and nephews in Canada.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 6, 2005 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (309 South Jackson Street, Jackson, MI) beginning at 11:00 a.m. A reception with food and beverages will follow in the parish hall. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Dorothy’s memory to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 309 South Jackson Street, Jackson, MI 49201. You may also donate in her honor to the Jackson YMCA, 127 W. Wesley St., Jackson, MI 49201