On June 15th, 2022, Dorothy A. Reister left this world for her new life in heaven. Born August 23rd, 1933, she was the daughter of Colin J.W. Rice and Ursulien E.M. Maurin, and grew up in Flint, MI when Flint was a flourishing city.
She had a happy childhood, although her father died when she was just four. Her mother and sister were her family, and they lived a simple but loving life. She went to the University of Michigan, the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated in Dental Hygiene and worked part time for more than 20 years. At the University, she met Russell Reister, who she married the day after he graduated in 1954. After two years in the army in El Paso, TX, they returned to Ann Arbor with their first child, and Russ began his career at the University which lasted 35 years.
During that time Dorothy was mom to three, Pamela, Kurt and Kathi. She was a Brownie leader when her daughters were in the Scouts, and Den mother when her son was a Cub Scout, and she totally enjoyed both. Her family was the joy of her life.
While Russ was in University work and had many community responsibilities, she was involved with the U of M Faculty Women's Club, where she served in several capacities, including President in 1979. In the early eighties she and Russ bought a second home in the Les Cheneaux Islands in the eastern Upper Peninsula. They had wonderful neighbors and loved entertaining them and their family at every opportunity. The pace in little Cedarville reminded them of their childhood lives of the 1930s and 40s.
In 1991, she and Russ moved from Ann Arbor to Chelsea and enjoyed a busy retirement. She enjoyed being a hostess, especially making homemade goodies including her signature white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, good for every ill--emotional, physical, spiritual.
In addition to her children, her great pride and joy were her grandchildren, Guz and Erick, Griffin and Willa. She was a lifelong Lutheran but also dreamed that all Christian religions might join together.
A memorial service will be scheduled this summer. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to University of Michigan Faculty Women's Club Endowment Fund, Zion Lutheran Church, 3050 S. Fletcher Rd, Chelsea, MI 48118, or the Salvation Army.
Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home.
