Dorothy Mary Schaefer

12/28/1914 - 06/05/2011

SCHAEFER,
Dorothy Mary
(née Black
formerly Grimes)
December 28, 1914 -
June 5, 2011

Dorothy was born Decem-ber 28, 1914 in Victoria, British Columbia to Elizabeth Loretta (née Donnelly) and Joseph James Vincent Black. In 1919 the family relocated to Saskatchewan when her father's employer transferred him there. A few years later they went to Ontario, Canada for a short period and then moved permanently to Southern California. Dorothy attended St. Mary's Academy in Inglewood, CA where she was the youngest student in the class of 1930, graduating when she was only 15. After attending Los Angeles City College for two years, she enrolled in Queen of Angels School of Nursing from which she received her RN in 1935. She worked as a nurse in Los Angeles hospitals until 1941 when she married William Franklin Grimes with whom she raised eight children. In 1964 Dorothy went back to work as a nurse and she continued to work part time until the age of 73. Bill died in 1980 and two years later Dorothy married Raymond Schaefer, a widower fifteen years her senior. They traveled the globe taking 20 trips in the seven years they had together before Ray died in 1989. Shortly after that Dorothy moved to a condo in Spokane, WA to be nearer to her three youngest daughters and their families. She spent her retirement doing volunteer work and helping to care for her growing brood of grandchildren. In 2002 she moved to a "granny flat" attached to her daughter's home. She remained quite active into her 90s until last year when failing health necessitated her to move to North Central Care Center.

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Elizabeth Loretta Black, her first husband, William F. Grimes, her second husband Raymond P. Schaefer, her eldest daughter Mara Jo (formerly Patricia Mary) Grimes, and her great-granddaughter Rachel Marie Grimes. She is survived by seven children: William (Judith) Grimes of Sunland, CA, David (Diane) Grimes of Somis, CA, Kathleen (Kent) Freiburghouse of Redondo Beach, CA, Raymond (Deborah) Grimes of Bremerton, WA, Cecilia (Stephen) Elias of Spokane, WA, Mary Ann (Michael) Carey of Spokane, WA, and Barbara (John) Gale of Nine Mile Falls, WA. She is also survived by Shari (David) Stockwell of Martinez, CA, adoptive parents of her daughter Mara's children. Her descendants number twenty grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren (including two who are expected in the next few months).

Dorothy loved working as a nurse, going to Mass (several times a week if she could manage it), singing (to herself and others), cooking (especially for a big crowd), reading murder mysteries, doing crossword puzzles, playing card games with her grandchildren (for money), and getting her hair done. Most of all she loved watching over her family who will remember her as a generous and caring mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt.

Her family is extremely grateful to Dorothy's physician of 15 years, Dr. Michael Parisot, to her in-home caregivers, especially Alice and Julie, who enabled her to remain at home as long as possible, and to the staff of North Central Care Center who took such loving care of her in the last year. Inurnment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of Spokane.