Dolores "Dee" L. Kohut

All who knew Dolores “Dee” Kohut would agree that she was truly beautiful on the inside and out. She spent nearly her entire lifetime with her true love, and together they witnessed their family tree blossom to include numerous branches of loved ones who made her so very proud. Dee treasured her roles as a wife and mother, but she just might have argued that nothing was sweeter than becoming a grandmother and great-grandmother later in life. Although she will be dearly missed, Dee leaves behind a timeless legacy that is deeply rooted in faith and unconditional love that her family will proudly carry on in her footsteps.

Life during the 1930s was primarily defined by the Great Depression that covered our nation and much of the world throughout the entire decade and beyond. Scarce jobs gave way to a soaring unemployment rate, which affected countless American families all across our great land. Despite the trials around them, Vernon Noble and Lucille Beatrice (Wiseman) Wright were able to shift their focus to an exciting time in their own lives as they announced the birth of the baby girl they named Dolores Lucille on February 11, 1931, in Denver, Colorado. She was the third of eight children as she was joined in her family by her siblings, Donna, Dwayne, Phyllis, Noble, Sylvester “Ves”, Mary, and Patricia. Usually known as Dee, she learned the value of hard work from her father who was a hardworking farmer. Her mother had more than enough to keep her busy at home. Dee’s earliest years were spent in Littleton, Colorado.

In many ways Dee was a young girl of her generation. She attended Cherry Creek School through the ninth grade, and in addition to her schooling she also worked to help support their family as they were no stranger to the struggles of the Great Depression. Dee loved to dance and sing as a child, and she played the piano as well. Church played a vital role in her life from the time she was a young girl. After getting home from school, Dee had her fair share of farm chores including tending to the cows, chickens, horses and crops. In 1973, she moved to Englewood, Colorado, where she lived with her aunt and uncle, Lawrence and Wilma Wiseman. There, she worked at Cherry Lane Drug Store, and she later worked for Martin Marietta Corp, Food Giant, and Safeway.

New and exciting changes were in store for Dee when she met the young man of her dreams. His name was Jack Kohut, and they met at a local dance in Colorado. Sparks flew right from the start, and they began dating. It didn’t take them long to fall in love, and four years after they met they were married in the home of John and Bertha Scott. The newlyweds took a one-day honeymoon to the zoo in Colorado Springs. They settled into an apartment from 1954 through 1960 when they bought a house in Englewood. Together they welcomed three daughters, Bonnie in 1955, Robyn in 1956, and Debbie in 1958, into their hearts and home. As a family they enjoyed vacations to South Dakota and Oklahoma as well as to visit her family in Missouri. In 1973, Dee and Jack bought a home on 8th Street where they remained for much of their married life. They did later buy a condo on the WestSide when it was time to downsize.

There was nothing of greater importance to Dee than her family. When her children grew and had families of their own, she was thrilled. She was an amazing cook who was famous for her fried chicken and milk gravy, many types of soups, spaghetti and stew, kielbasa, fried chicken and pumpkin pie as well as banana breads and cookies. Dee was always there to support her family in everything they did. She loved having her family sing with her, and the times they were together were among her most priceless moments. Dee took every opportunity to dote over her grandchildren, and it has been said that she denied her grandchildren of nothing. She was there for all of their school, sporting events, and dance recitals, and she also made their birthdays and special days so extraordinary.

During their retirement years Dee had even more time to pursue her interests. She loved doing jig-saw puzzles, crossword puzzles, and Sudoku. An avid reader, Dee usually had romance novels from Nicholas Sparks on her Nook. She loved watching game shows on television as well as classic country, big band, and gospel music. Dee and Jack did nearly everything together. They frequently traveled to see family in Missouri, Colorado and South Dakota, and Branson, Missouri. Dee and Jack enjoyed eating out, and among their favorite restaurants were Mr. Burger, Russ,’ and Bob Evans. On June 9, 2015, Dee was deeply saddened with Jack’s death after lovingly caring for him as he battled heart problems and COPD. Although life was never the same for Dee after his death, her strong faith and loving family helped her through this trying time. Her sister, Phyllis, moved in with her 18 months ago, and so did her daughter, Deb and her husband Tom.

When reflecting on the life of Delores “Dee” Kohut it is easy to see the love and dedication she had for her family. She was guided by an unwavering faith, and it was her faith that helped her face whatever came her way. Dee loved to laugh and was known for her sense of humor, and she was the sort of person who never met a stranger. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Dee will be forever missed.

Dolores L. “Dee” Kohut, aged 88 of Grand Rapids, passed away peacefully in her home on Friday morning, April 26, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Jack J. Kohut Jr., great granddaughter, Sadie Jane Franke, son-in-law, Scott J. Doty, brothers, Dwayne Wright, Noble (Barb) Wright and sister, Donna (Roy) Barlow. She is survived by her loving children, Bonnie Jean (John) Holm, Robyn (Mac) McKenna, Debbie (Tom) Bush; 10 grandchildren, Jeff (Megan) Holm, Jason Holm, Kellie Holm, Laura (Bill) Hecksel, Jaimie McKenna, Amy (Julian) Franke, Amber (Bill) Balistreri, Ashley Doty (fiancé Michael Bogart), Dallas (Jeff) Davis, Amanda (Dylan) Clark; 8 great grandchildren; brother and sisters, Ves (Sharon) Wright, Phyllis Wilson, Mary (Lary) Higgins, Patricia (Leroy) Looney; many nieces, nephews and many friends. Dee was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and a friend to all who knew her. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. Cremation has taken place. A service to celebrate Dee’s life will be held on Saturday, May 4 at 11:00 am at Heritage Lifestory Funeral Home, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Visitation on Saturday at the Funeral Home from 10:00 am – 11:00 am. Contributions in her memory may be made to VanAndel Institute for Cancer Research or Alzheimer’s Assn. To read more about Dee’s life, to sign her guest book and to leave your own memory of her, visit her web page at www.lifestorynet.com