On the afternoon of May 10, 2019, Michelle passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. Michelle was born July 27, 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee to Evelyn “June” Pretti and Thomas Alfred Pretti. Michelle grew up in Memphis where she enjoyed a childhood full of fun and laughter with her brother and sister. She graduated from the University of Memphis in 1977 and began her career in university administration and finance. Michelle married John Thomas “Tom” Dotter on April 14, 1979 in Memphis, Tennessee. Shortly after, they moved to Houston where they both continued their careers in administration and finance at the University of Houston. Michelle went on to serve as the Chief Financial Officer at the University of Houston Clear Lake for 22 years. It was at the University of Houston that they met many lifelong friends. Together they enjoyed playing in their co-ed softball league, golfing, skiing in Lake Tahoe, and traveling to Destin with family and friends.
Michelle will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She was loved by many and is known for her kind heart, helping hand, love of life, and ability to make people laugh. She cherished her children, children in-law, and grandchildren, who know her as “Nana”. Michelle was a woman of faith, committed to her spiritual growth and forever grateful for a life full of love, family, friends, and travel.
Michelle is survived by her children, Meredith Morriss (Nick) and Richard Dotter (Lauren), her three grandchildren, Finley, Kirby, and Shepherd Morriss, her mother, June Pretti, her sister, Loreleigh Webb (Jerry), her brother-in-laws, David Dotter (Judy), Dick Dotter (Nikki), Dan Dotter, her sister-in-law, Carole Weaks, and many nieces and nephews. Michelle is preceded in death by her father, Tom Pretti, her brother, Steve Pretti, and her loving husband, Tom Dotter. This brief summary of Michelle’s life doesn’t begin to capture all of the people she loved or that loved her.
The family will receive friends on May 16, 2019 from 5:00pm- 8:00pm at Forest Park East Funeral Home, 21620 Gulf Freeway, Webster, TX 77598. A funeral mass will be held on May 17, 2019 at 10:30am at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 15500 El Camino Real, Houston, TX 77062 with interment to follow at Forest Park East Cemetery at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the UHCL Dotter Family Scholarship Fund or MD Anderson Cancer Center.
