Helen Rose Dotterer

On the morning of January 28, 2017, our Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, friend and neighbor, Helen Rose Carter Dotterer passed from this life to the next, due to natural causes, and entered on yet another grand adventure.

Mom was born and raised in the then, small community of Taylorsville, Utah and witnessed many changes in Utah, Salt Lake City, and Taylorsville. She grew up and passed away within about two hundred yards of each occasion and, except for about two years, lived in this neighborhood all of her life. Mom married Frank Dotterer, a “soldier boy” from Oklahoma, on August 18, 1946. Mom had a quiet nature about her and served in several callings in the LDS Church and also several terms of office as PTA President and also as room mother when her kids were passing through elementary, junior high, and then high school. She took great interest in the education of her children and we always knew she was there whenever needed. Mom had a great love of music and encouraged her children to become involved in music and supported all of these endeavors, thus instilling the same love and appreciation in the next generation.

Mom was a great mathematician, a trait that did not necessarily get passed down to the same degree and affinity that she enjoyed. She had a strong yet somewhat refined sense of humor which did get passed along though not necessarily the “refined” part.

Mom’s father passed away when she was very young and her mother saw to it that her life and that of her siblings was filled with culture and the good things that life had to offer, including education and travel. Mom enjoyed traveling and took advantage of every opportunity to experience new things. Later in life she was able to visit many places around the world, several more than once.

Mom loved her family and extended family and always found time for them. She enjoyed sharing stories of her youth and we were always interested to learn just how rural Taylorsville was when she growing up. She enjoyed dancing and would go folk dancing with Dad every week. Lately Mom taught and participated in line dancing at several local senior centers where she also volunteered, greeting visitors. When Mom could no longer drive herself safely, those activities were minimized and she really missed those associations.

We learned about service through Mom’s example. We watched as she cared for her mother in our home until her death in 1968. Mom also cared for Dad until he passed in 1988. One cannot quantify all the life lessons gleaned from a parent over the many years of watching and listening, but make no mistake, those lessons were learned. Mom was preceded in death by her father and mother, her husband, brother, and two sisters. She is survived by daughter Jane, son Duane (Robyn), daughter Marcia (Mike) and daughter Bonnie (Blayde). Also four grand children and ten great grand children.

We miss you Mom and the wit and wisdom you and Dad imparted to us will always be remembered and be a part of who we are. You will be remembered standing on the back porch waving “good bye” until we were out of sight. Although perhaps not spoken often enough, we do love you and look forward to seeing you again.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 11:00 am at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary located at 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. Friends and family may call at the Mortuary on Friday evening, February 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. and 9:45 am to 10:45 am at the Mortuary prior to the funeral services. Interment in Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.