Dorothy Ann Dahnke

Dorothy Ann Dahnke, 86 of Gaylord, passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at The Brook in Gaylord.

Born in Covington, Indiana on July 22, 1939, she was the daughter of Frank and Velma (Clarkston) Brown.

On June 21, 1958, Dorothy married Gordon Dahnke in Lafayette, Indiana. They were long time residents of the Lansing area, where Dorothy was the administrator of Burcham Hills Retirement Center in East Lansing and Gordon was a professor at Michigan State University.

After Gordon’s death, Dorothy later moved to Gaylord to be near her daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Marty May.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Debra (Marty) May of Elmira; her daughter-in-law, Kara Kurth Dahnke of East Lansing; grandchildren, Morgan (Matthew) Greenberg of Lansing, and Macy (Nick) Piner of Traverse City; and great grandchildren, Maria June Greenburg of Lansing, and Charlevoix Adams Piner of Traverse City.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Velma Brown; her husband, Gordon Dahnke; sons, Bruce and Jeffrey Dahnke; and a grandson, Lane Michael Dahnke.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service, followed by a gathering and luncheon for family and friends.

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