Dorothy Blazek, 81, of Grinnell, joined the Heavenly Choir of Angels with Danni, Felisa, and Sylvia by her side on Friday, October 6, 2023, at the Iowa River Hospice House in Marshalltown, Iowa.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the Grinnell United Methodist Church. A luncheon will follow the service. Interment will be in Prairie Rose Cemetery in Corning.

Visitation will be held prior to the service at the church beginning at 9:00 am.

Memorials may be designated to the Drake Community Library or to the Iowa River Hospice House and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Dottie's family online at www.smithfh.com.

Dorothy Grace Perry was born on Good Friday, April 3, 1942, to Rev. Homer F. and Bonnie (Bailey) Perry in Sioux City, IA. She has always laughed that it was the first time her dad cut short his Maundy Thursday sermon when he realized Bonnie was in labor! Dottie lived in Sloan, IA until such time that her dad joined the US Army as a Chaplain in June 1944. Dottie and her mother then moved for a short time to Van Meter, IA to live with her Bailey Grandparents. Soon after, they moved to Atlantic, IA to live with her mother's maternal Guske Grandparents. The latter only spoke in their native German language, so by age 3, Dottie was already bilingual. After her mother found a teaching position in Halfway, Oregon, Dottie remembers the foothills of Mt. Hood. The long bus ride from Iowa to Oregon often found Dottie being hushed by her mother for speaking in German. WWII was raging and any German reference was frowned upon. While in Oregon, Dottie was left at home by herself through the school day and learned to ready any book that her mom could find and became an avid reader.

When her dad returned from the service, November 1946, the family headed east to Andover Newton Seminary in Newton, Massachusetts where her dad finished a semester sabbatical, before returning to Marion, IA where Homer pastored the First Congregational Church. While in Marion, Dottie's little sister, Sylvia Louise, joined the family in November 1947. Dottie quickly jumped into the role of "the other mom." Dottie started school in Marion and thrived in her elementary years, already reading beyond her grade level. Her dad's call to church in Newburg, IA in 1952, brought her to a new school where she finished her elementary years and easily made many close friends.

November 1954 brought yet another move for the family to Madrid, IA; where Dottie began her junior high years. Continuing to excel, she graduated Valedictorian of her 1960 high school class. She played basketball for the Madrid Tigers, but was most active in H.S. Drama Club and plays, many times being the "lead" of productions. Dottie participated/lettered in Speech Club, Band, Chorus and many solo and small group competitions at the local, district and state levels. She still communicates with many of her high school classmates and friends; and only until recently attended the Madrid Alumni Banquet each Labor Day Weekend.

Dottie entered a 5-year course program at Coe College and St. Lukes Nursing School, Cedar Rapids, IA in the fall of 1960. In the program that was offered at the time, she received her B.S. degree from St. Lukes, passing state board, in May 1965. While a student, Dottie would meet her future husband, Franklin D. Blazek, also a student at Coe. Soon after graduating, she would accept a teaching position at Freeport Nursing School, Freeport, Illinois. Frank and Dottie were united in marriage while living there on June 4, 1966, when she also became a certified registered nurse.

The couple lived in many locations in Illinois, Arkansas, Texas, and Colorado. While in Illinois, children started joining the couple: Danni Sue, Felisa Louise, and Jonathan Kyle Blazek, all raised in Illinois. Dottie received her Masters in Science at Rush University in Chicago, June 1966 and later her Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Degree while living in various Chicago Suburbs. When the couple moved to Colorado, they started raising their youngest granddaughter, Hevyn Michele Blazek. In Colorado, Frank and Dottie also raised llamas and some ponies for Hevyn to ride.

Retirement led them back to Iowa, where they joined the Mayflower Community in Grinnell in 2016. The many people there will miss her countless hours of service and many activities in which she participated. Dottie's interaction with Mayflower residents, special friends throughout the Grinnell community, and fellow members of her church, United Methodist in Grinnell, will miss her terribly.

Nursing and caring for people were her lifetime career and passion, where she served always with love. Dottie retired as a hospice nurse in both Colorado and Iowa. She was an avid reader, many times finishing 3-4 books weekly. Dottie read the Bible and daily devotional guide every morning and participated in many Bible study groups both at her church and at the Mayflower. Sharing her beautiful soprano voice was also an important part of her life. She joined the Grinnell Oratorical Society and other choral groups so she could sing the Messiah every holiday season.

Following her father's death in March 2009 and especially her husband, Frank's death in July 2017, Dottie grieved daily and was overwhelmed with emotion when sharing memories of both.

Survivors include their children, Danni Blazek (Victor Hodges) of Columbus, OH; Felisa Blazek of Windham, NH; and Jonathan Blazek of Chicago, IL. Also surviving her is her sister Sylvia (Paul) Hain of Lone Tree, IA; her step-daughter Vickie Blazek Hill of Highlandville, MO; her daughter-in-law Geraldine "Red" Blazek of Cedar Rapids, IA. Dearly loved and ready to carry on family traditions are granddaughters Vivian and Veronica Hodges of Columbus, OH; Hevyn Blazek of Pueblo, CO; Karin Blazek of Romeoville, IL; and her grandsons Alec and Caden Blazek of Windham, NH; Bernie and Isaac Blazek of Cedar Rapids, IA; Misty & Meagan Carney of Cedar Rapids, IA; Ryan Klein of Cedar Rapids, IA; Brett Blazek of Highlandville, MO; Breanne Hill of Kansas City, KS; Bryar Hill of Springfield, MO. She was loved by many nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren and great grandchildren, cousins, and very dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and 3 step-children, Deborah Blazek Carney and Rick and Michael Blazek.