Dorothy L Thompson

02-19-1927 - 01-26-2013

Dorothy was born to Magdalina and Jack Sanderson in Detroit, Michigan. They then moved to Montebello, Ca. She was so smart in school that they allowed her to skip a grade. She graduated from Montebello High. From there she settled down in Long Beach, Ca. During the War she joined the effort to roll bandages for the servicemen overseas. She also worked at the voting polls any chance she could get for the past 70 yrs. While in Long Beach she had her first daughter Bonnie. Dorothy and her husband also took in their baby cousin Joseph Maholick, and Fostered him for 3 years. To this day they still consider Joseph their son, and he always calls Dorothy mom.

The next move was to Colorado where Her second daughter Kim was born. They didn't live there but 6 mos. and off to Reno, Nevada they went. While in Reno Dorothy worked as a 21 dealer at Harrold's club for more than 9 years.

Then we moved again to Sarasota, Florida, where she bought her first home. That's where we stayed put the longest until Dorothy became a snow bird, living in Sarasota, Fla. in the winter. And Portsmouth, Ohio in the summer. Her daughters were on their own by now so we did not follow her. We have memories of her cooking many a fish that her husband had caught from the Gulf of Mexico. When we first moved to Florida we thought swimming in the Gulf of Mexico in December was nice. The temperature was 85 and so was the water temperature. We do believe that we were the only one's on the beach!!!

Ohio is where Dorothy enjoyed her church the most. She went to the Old United Methodist Church where she joined the choir, singing the good old gospel hymns. This church was her home. With all the Bible Studies, Pot lucks and even the over night slumber parties with the girls. She truly had a broken heart when she had to leave there to come and live with her girls in Calif. because of her dementia.

Dorothy was a house wife most of her life, so she got to do all those things that interested her like, swimming, bowling, drives to the beach, the park or even the river. She always had a picnic basket in tow. She was a great cook and packed a good picnic basket to. Dorothy had the most beautiful rose gardens, they are her favorite flower. And she did well at her vegetable garden to. She'd had dogs her entire life (which were her favorite animal), until she was introduced to cats, which she also adored.

Dorothy carried a strong faith in the Lord, which she passed on to her children. She is survived by her daughter's Bonnie Beardslee, Kim Clymer-Pratt, and Foster son Joseph Maholick. She has 2 grandson's Ben Beardslee and Clyff Clymer. And 2 great grandson's Samuel Beardslee and Luke Beardslee.

Dorothy was the oldest of 4 children and she is the only girl. She is survived by her brother Bob Sanderson and sister-in-law Cheri. Her brother Jerry Sanderson and sister-in-law Pam. And her late brother Raymond Sanderson and sister-in-law Aurore.

Dorothy passed away peacefully in her daughter Kim Pratt and son-in-law John Pratt's home in Foresthill, Ca. She lost her battle with Vascular Dementia of 5 1/2 years. She lived with her family for 4 of those years.

Dorothy ran to Heaven, couldn't wait to get there. And is now dancing up there with her mother Magdalina Sanderson. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints" Psalms 116:15.