Dorothy A. Makuch

Date of Death: May 28, 2021

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visitation

Humenik Funeral Chapel

14200 Snow Road

Brook Park, OH 44142

216-265-8700 |

Thursday 6/3, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

service

United Methodist Church of Brook Park

6220 Smith Road

Brook Park, Ohio 44142

Friday 6/4, 10:00 am

cemetery

Woodvale Cemetery

7535 Engle Road

Mddleburg Heights, Ohio 44130

Friday 6/4

DOROTHY A. MAKUCH

age 103 of Brook Park, passed away peacefully May 28, 2021 while surrounded by family. Dorothy is preceded in death by John, her beloved husband of 63 years. Devoted mother of Carol Russo, Mary Ellen (Al) Schmidt, Nancy Farris, and John. Loving sister of Ellen Cheyney, Charlotte (deceased) (Al) Kowalski, and the following deceased: Alice Rademaker, Betty Stewart, and Janice Hubbard. Cherished grandmother of Christine, Charles, Dennis, Kenneth, Michael, Alyssa, Anthony, Tessa, David, Michael, Carrie, Johnny, Samuel, Berkeley, and Hayden. Great grandmother of Genevieve, Porter, Barrett, Bailey, and Sawyer.

Our Mom, Dorothy Makuch, was born on August 15, 1917. She was married to John for 63 years. Together they raised 4 children, and she was Grandma to 15 and Great-Grandma to 5.

Our Mom was blessed with good genes, a strong heart, a healthy body and the desire to take care of it. Her life spanned over ten decades. She experienced amazing advances in transportation, technology, individual rights and freedom. She lived through the depression and World War II, when people had to work together to survive. These experiences imbued her with strong character traits- honesty, hard work, family, and volunteering for others. She used these values in all of her roles in life: daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, friend.

Our Mom was the oldest of six girls. Her family moved quite often and she attended many schools growing up. She graduated with honors from Parma High School in the class of 1935. She married our Dad on January 27, 1945. They lived in an apartment before moving to 19999 Sheldon Road, Berea, where they rented part of a duplex with a very, very large yard. Dad had a huge garden and Mom would can/freeze the vegetables. As children, there was plenty of yard for us to play in and explore. Our Aunts, Uncles and cousins would visit often. Perhaps that’s where our Mother caught her enthusiasm for entertaining.

Our Mom would always make our school clothes and every summer, she would take us to the Ben Franklin store in Downtown Cleveland. We were able to pick out material for our new school dresses. We, as children, looked forward to this exciting trip and on the way home we would always stop at the May Company Store for a chocolate malt! Our Mom loved to sew! She not only made our clothes, but she also made our doll clothes. (We had aprons for our dolls and the doll dresses even had pockets!) Every Christmas we would receive a new pair of pajamas to wear-made by our Mom.

Dad and Mom used to enjoy square dancing and she made most of her fancy outfits that she would dance in. They also took ballroom dancing lessons, and it was a beautiful sight to see our parents gliding across the dance floor at our numerous cousin’s weddings.

In 1959, Mom was so very excited when our parents finally were able to purchase their own home on Thompson Blvd, in Brook Park. This home is where John was born and raised. Many fun summers were spent camping in the pop-up camper around Ohio. Our Mom worked evenings in the boy’s department of the JCPenney’s Southland store for 25 years. She took her job measuring and fitting boys for school pants very seriously. She finally retired from Penney’s in 1988.

She was a Charter member of the United Methodist Church of Brook Park (1964) where she served on the Altar Guild, Women-In-Mission Group, and was extremely active with the quilters and crocheters club. In earlier years, she was always active with church dinners, events, fundraisers, Sunday School, Bible Study, and Vacation Bible School. Our Mom felt that volunteering her time for others was an important part of life. She was involved with Girl Scouts and P.T.A.. She always made time to help others.

Our Mom loved to entertain at holiday dinners where she was feeding her family of over 20 people. We were impressed with how she always kept the food so hot while it took us so long to gather the kids and sit down at the table. (For several years we had three high chairs at the table at once for grandchildren to sit in.)

She was an active member of the Brook Park Senior’s group. Mom liked going to their meetings, sitting with friends and enjoying the activities that the seniors participated in. Our Mom was a bit of a perfectionist so we would always try to measure up to Mom’s standards, whether it was grades on our report cards, sewing clothes, baking/cooking, doing housework or weeding the flowerbeds. Sometimes we did measure up, other times we didn’t, but it kept us always striving to do better!

Mom drove until she was 93 years old, which at that time, we, her children, convinced her to give up driving. Throughout her life, Mom enjoyed gardening and tending to her flower beds. In later years, Mom was not as active as she once was, however, she still loved to read and keep up with the Brook Park News. She would often cut out newspaper articles to send and share with her grandchildren.

She had a long and well lived life.

Our family wants to extend a sincere thank you to Miracle City Hospice for taking such great care of our Mom during these last few weeks of her life. Their bedside presence 24/7 with our Mom was important because they were nurturing her but also caring for us. This helped us, by giving us the support we need.

The family will receive friends in celebration of Dorothy’s life at Humenik Funeral Chapel 14200 Snow Rd Brook Park, 44142 Thursday June 3^rd from 4-8PM. A Funeral Service will be Celebrated at United Methodist Church of Brook Park, 6220 Smith Rd. Friday at 10AM. Interment at Woodvale Cemetery.

For those who wish, the family suggests memorial contributions to United Methodist Church of Brook Park or Miracle City Hospice, The Hope Foundation, 9150 South Hills Blvd., Ste 100, Broadview Hts., OH 44147 in Dorothy’s name.

Humenik Funeral Chapel

14200 Snow Road

Brook Park, OH 44142

216-265-8700 | Map

Thursday 6/3, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

United Methodist Church of Brook Park

6220 Smith Road

Brook Park, Ohio 44142

Map

Friday 6/4, 10:00 am

Woodvale Cemetery

7535 Engle Road

Mddleburg Heights, Ohio 44130

Map

Friday 6/4

DOROTHY A. MAKUCH age 103 of Brook Park, passed away peacefully May 28, 2021 while surrounded by family. Dorothy is preceded in death by John, her beloved husband of 63 years. Devoted mother of Carol Russo, Mary Ellen (Al) Schmidt, Nancy Farris, and John. Loving sister of Ellen Cheyney, Charlotte (deceased) (Al) Kowalski, and theContinue Reading

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For Michael Farris: Michael, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire family at the passing of your grandmother. 103 years young....wow. I never met her, but I'm sure she was a wonderful person and you are a part of her fantastic legacy. God Bless! Ray and Gina Dalessandro

Carol, Mary Ellen, Nancy and John, My Thoughts and Prayers are with all of you. You have had your Mom for a very long time .. but that doesn't make it any easier to say Good Bye. I want you all to know that I admire the care you have given Aunt Dorothy. I'm sure she is smiling down on each of you ... so proud of the Love you have given her for so long. Aunt Dorothy was a marvelous woman.. So giving, so loving, so knowledgeable .. I could go on with accolades for a long time. She had such an interesting life. Know that I Love each of you. My heart goes out to all of you and I know that God will help each of you get through the coming days.

God bless you, Aunt Dorothy. You loved so many and you are loved by so many. You will be missed. Love, Terry and Diane Cheyney

Condolences To my Cousins and family and Friends of Aunt Dorothy. Paul Makuh

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