- Date Of Birth: December 18, 1935
- Date Of Death: December 14, 2009
- State: Michigan
MEDEMA, Dorothy Ann, Of Portage, MI. Dorothy Ann Orrison Medema, age 73, went to be with the Lord, with her family by her side, December 14, 2009. She was born December 18, 1935 in Chicago, IL to Charles P. and Ann Marusek Orrison. Her family moved to Portage, where she graduated from Portage Central High School and met the love of her life, John F. Medema, who survives.
They were married November 7, 1953. Dorothy was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was an avid tennis player and a long time member of West Hills Athletic Club. She started playing Bridge recently and spent many afternoons playing with friends from the club. Dorothy was a long time member of Prairie Edge CRC in Portage. She treasured her time with family, especially on Sunday mornings after church each week and with various get-togethers for holidays and birthdays. She loved to play cards, especially euchre and poker, with family and friends. Dorothy followed politics closely and enjoyed writing and submitting letters to the newspaper. She enjoyed swimming throughout her lifetime and often talked about her father teaching her to swim in Lake Michigan as a child. She and her family created many fond memories with summers spent at their place on Minkler Lake as well as at their swimming pool at home.
Dorothy was a proud recipient of a cochlear implant. Hearing was a challenge for her from high school age on, but she didn’t let that hinder her enthusiasm for life. She was grateful to receive several years of improved hearing due to the implant. Dorothy’s family includes two sons and daughter-in-laws, John W. Barb Medema of Schoolcraft, Andy Cindy Medema of Mattawan; a daughter and son-in-law, Emily Tom Edom of Schoolcraft.
She is also survived by her 6 grandchildren, John Evan, Joe, Josh, Andrea, Nate, and Chelsea and 4 great- grandchildren, Ann, Brooke, Abigail, and John Jr; two sisters, Betty Sanderson of Florida, Char John Tetzlaff of Plainwell; two brothers, John Vivian Orrison of Ohio, and Ken Orrison of Alaska; plus many brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Dorothy was preceded in death by both of her parents; by a son, Norman Medema and by a brother, Charles “Chuck” Orrison.
