Dorothy V. Gray

GRAY, DOROTHY VIRGINIA (nee ENGLERT). A longtime resident of Romulus, MI, formerly of Tigard, Oregon and Hialeah, Florida. Passed away Sunday August 11, 2024 at age 95. Beloved Wife of the late Marion Edward Gray. Preceded in death by her late husband William V. Johnson. Loving Daughter of the late Lamar (Shorty) and Ruth Englert (nee Shuck). Loving Mother of Diana Teresa Bean (nee Johnson/Napier), & the late Leo Anthony Johnson. Dear Sister of Gene Brugman, Bernard Englert, Charles Englert, Shirley O’Brien, Ron Englert, Aurie Urban, Helen Bates, Rich Englert, Patty Hobaica, Marge Barglof & Karen Bentley. She was preceded in death by siblings Bernard, Charles, Gene & Shirley. Loving Grandmother of Jeremy Napier (Effie), Jennese Raymond (George) & Jacob Bean (Kaila) & step- grandmother to Stacy, Steve, Scott and Alex. Loving Great Grandmother of Bailey Napier, Noah Napier, Owen Napier, Elina Napier, Benjamin Bean, George Raymond V & Theodore Raymond. Loving Great Great Grandmother to Nyla & Kira Napier. She was a loving Aunt & Cousin to many of the Englert and Shuck clans. Born at home in Royal, Iowa on the farm on Dec 15, 1928. After high school she attended beauty school & a few years after opened her own beauty shop on Main St in Royal Iowa. It was called the “Coiffure Nook”. She was very passionate about doing hair (even though she was allergic to the perm solution, which was highly fashionable in those days). She left Iowa in 1963 to become a longtime nurse for Dr. Hutchinson again in Hialeah, FL. She enjoyed nursing so much that she stayed after he passed & continued working for Dr. Compton. She then retired & later moved to Tigard OR, to be near Ed’s family. Eventually moving to Ypsilanti MI, to be near her daughter Diana. After Ed’s passing, her & Diana shared a home in Romulus, MI. Through the years she was overjoyed to have family members visit down in FL. Especially her niece Kathleen, who stayed with her in Miami while she worked at Northwest. Again wonderful memories were created when Aunt Gene & Uncle Bud visited (“wegottagetaguide” his favorite saying while sightseeing lol). The beaches in Miami were a favorite for everyone to go visit, which was one of Dort’s favorite places as well. She met & married Marion Gray (Ed). They had a beautiful home in Hialeah, with 2 dogs, fruit trees of all kinds, & enjoyed having many family members visit from out of state. They spent a lot of time up in the air. He owned his own small airplane & taught her how to fly even! He taught her how to golf, which she loved, so they spent many a day golfing. Some of the things that Dort loved to do besides golfing were crafting projects, quilting, embroidery, bird watching (especially Cardinals), reading novels (often gifted from Jennese), Little House on the Prairie, going to Church (Catholic & Methodist), traveling to many places throughout the US, & spending time with her family (especially on game nights). She loved quilt & craft shows, doing puzzles, the Iowa State Fair, going to Air Shows with Ed, shopping (especially with Jeremy) & reminiscing about the “old” days. She had some great stories about all the Englert kids! She liked to talk about the boys getting in trouble a lot lol. And boy, how she loved to dance in her day!! The family reunions were the highlight of her summers whenever they were held. She tried to attend each & every reunion & take as many family members as possible. Most were held in Iowa, but some in Arizona & even S. Dakota (where only her Grandson Jake got to go with her). But she would always get as many pictures as possible & then send to family or put in albums for sharing memories for years to come. Dorothy passed suddenly and too soon, as we had many more memories to make. She had a great sense of humor (loved throwing in a few choice words) and so sweet to all who knew and loved her. She knew how much she was loved and treasured by her family and many others. She had a profound influence on our lives and will remain an unforgettable part of our lives. Angels were a big part of her heart and life, and we know they will be welcoming her with open arms to join her dear loved ones in heaven. There will be an interment of her cremains at North Lawn Memorial Park in Spencer, Iowa when the family reunion is held next year in 2025. We will hold a special memorial gathering that weekend to celebrate Dorothy’s life and story. Arrangements entrusted with Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home, Westland. To share a memory, please use the Share a Memory tab on this web page.

Dorothy V. Gray

December 15, 1928 - August 11, 2024