Dawn Marilyn Saville

Dawn Marilyn (Biggin) Saville, aged 92, died at home, surrounded by her family, on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Dawn was a nurse, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and a renaissance woman with a sharp mind until the end.

Dawn was born in Stratford, Ontario, and raised in Windsor, near the foot of the Ambassador Bridge. Her childhood included family walks along the Detroit River, playing with her brothers and neighborhood children, and monopoly games on the front porch. As a teen, she enjoyed singing in the choir and in musicals. Her favorite memories were of summers at her grandparents farm in Clinton, Ontario including picnics on the Maitland River with her cousins, aunts, uncles and neighbors.

Dawn attended Victoria Hospital School of Nursing in London Ontario graduating in 1954. She worked at Grace hospital in Detroit before becoming a wife and mother. Dawn married William Saville in 1955 and together raised seven children. Dawn and Bill passed on to their children a love of books, birds, plants, gardening, the arts and a lifelong interest in learning. After a 20 year hiatus to raise her children, she returned to nursing part-time at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital and later as a supervisor at Mercy Bellbrook Senior Living. Maintaining the dignity and comfort of her patients was always a priority.

After retiring from St. Joes, she volunteered as an in-home Hospice nurse, with the intention of providing compassionate care for those who needed it most. In her 70s and 80s she volunteered at the Rochester Older Person's Center (OPC) and Waltonwood Memory Care, where, she joked, she was afraid someday they would not let her leave. Through nursing, Dawn made some of her dearest friends, which continued throughout her life, including her Victoria Hospital Nursing class sisters.

Though she pursued many interests, activities and friendships, her children and grandchildren were the center of her life and what brought her the most joy, and concern. She was a shepherd of her large flock, always checking in, helping and caring for them. She provided care for many of her grandchildren when they were young, patiently playing kitty, restaurant, dollhouse with them for endless hours, and always getting them outside to explore the natural world.

She had a great sense of humor and her children and grandchildren loved to make her laugh. She was the target of many April Fools pranks, including her granddaughter impersonating a very persistent salesperson trying to sell her a Jazzercise membership, and a voicemail from her son-in-law hinting her 45 year old daughter was pregnant. Though she could not tolerate swearing in movies, she was tickled by the mug sent to her by a grandson that said, "Don't mess with Grammasauraus, you'll get Jurrasskicked."

Dawn and Bill were members of St. Andrew's Catholic Church and sang in the Rochester Catholic Chorale under the direction of Dan Olson. Dawn cherished her friendships in the choir. Together they had many adventures, including traveling to sing at the Vatican in Rome, performing as the church choir in the film "The Rosary Murders," as well as hosting and attending numerous gatherings, such as Dan and Delphine's annual Kielbasa Fest.

Dawn had a fearless desire to learn and create. She took classes to become an expert seamstress, learned reupholstery, and became an accomplished painter. She was involved in the Four Seasons Bonsai club. She took woodworking classes and made doll cradles for her grandchildren. She made wine from her grape arbor and jam and jelly from the strawberries, grapes and currents she grew. She knew how to bind books, cut picture molding, tile floors, can vegetables, embroider and knit. She was an expert cook and baker and while she could successfully tackle gourmet recipes, her butter tarts, date squares, and nuts and bolts were family favorites.

Dawn's legacy is an indelible spirit of faith, gratitude, creativity, conservation, humility, humor, service, kindness, and compassion for all who knew her.

Dawn is survived by her daughter Cathy Isbell (Wayne), Beth Little (John), William Saville, Jr. (Stacy), Suzanne Villarreal (Gilbert), Jamie Saville (Rusty Fuller), Thomas Saville and Jennifer Saville, her grandchildren Erin Leichliter (Mark), Zeke Wojcikowski (Holly), Clayton Saville, Jackson Saville, Sheila Brady (Robert), Rachel Little, Beto Villarreal (Breanna), Gabriel Villarreal, Graciella Villarreal, Zoey Fuller, Tobias Fuller, Kathleen Saville, William Giblin and Lucille Giblin, great grandchildren Grace, Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua, Noelle, Emmett, and Cataleia, by beloved nieces and nephews and by special loved ones Trisha Kelley, Alexis Garcia, Penny Saville, James Giblin, cousins Lewis Tebbutt and Shirley Kay and brother-in-law Cameron Addison.

Dawn was preceded in death by her parents, W. Lawrence and Marion Biggin, brothers Murray, Robert and Bruce Biggin, sister Beverly (Biggin) Addison, husband William Saville and granddaughter Elizabeth Morgan Saville.

Visitation with family will be held Friday, June 6, 4-8pm, at Modetz Funeral Home, Silverbell Road Chapel, Lake Orion, Michigan. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, June 7, 10am at St. Andrew's Catholic Church, 1400 Inglewood, Rochester, MI, with lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Cure SMA (curesma.org), Paint Creek Center for the Arts (pccart.org), and Thaw Heat and Warmth Fund (https://thawfund.org).