Dorothy was born on December 9, 1925 in Fort Scott, Kansas to Linda (Gardner) Gilpin and Harry Milton Gilpin. Around 1938 the family moved to the Westport-Roanoke neighborhood in Kansas City. She graduated from Westport High School and attended Kansas City Junior College. Dorothy went on to work for Potts Advertising Agency as a bookkeeper.
While singing in the church choir, Dorothy met her future husband, John Leroy Marshall, Jr. She waited patiently for John as he served in the Army in Europe during World War II. After he returned and completed his engineering degree, John and Dorothy were married on October 11, 1947.
Dorothy was predeceased by her husband, John, who passed away in 1988. She is survived by her two daughters, Cathy Grassl (Peter) and Suzie Jianas (Greg). She also leaves her 3 grandchildren: Josh Grassl (Ashley), Gus Jianas (Katherine) and Lilly Jianas as well as one great granddaughter, Cora Jianas.
Dorothy was a loving and giving woman of faith. She was devoted to her parents, husband, daughters and their families. She volunteered for many church and charitable organizations, mostly ones that benefitted children such as Headstart, Crippled Children’s Nursery, Crosslines. She was also a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).
Dorothy was a member of Roanoke Presbyterian Church and later Colonial Presbyterian Church.
Dorothy loved to laugh, read, sew, play bridge, cook, garden and watch Formula One racing every year at the Indy 500 with John.
We are so lucky to have her for our mother and will especially remember the example she set on how to accept and live with a devastating disease. We are in awe of the grace, courage and dignity with which she carried herself these past five years. Dorothy is now at peace and with the loved ones who have gone before her.
We are so grateful to the staff at Morningside Place who cared for and treated Dorothy as if she was family. We also want to thank Crossroads Hospice for the wonderful, compassionate end of life care they provided Dorothy as well as her family members.
Dorothy’s family will host a Celebration of Life reception at McGilley & Hoge Johnson County Memorial Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, Kansas on Friday, May 3, 2019 from 3:00 and 6:00p.m. There will be a private graveside service and burial earlier in the day.
The family requests no flowers. If you want to honor Dorothy’s memory in some way, please consider Smile Train at https://my.smiletrain.org/fundraiser/dorothylmarshall, a nonprofit organization that provides corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates. Dorothy believed that if a child felt proud of their own smile it gave them a head start in life.
Online condolences may be left at www.mcgilleyhoge.com
