Maureen Kay Dobson

Although she was taken from her loved ones too soon, Maureen Dobson touched the lives of so many in the time she was here. She lived life to the fullest, and her zest for life was contagious to all who were near. Maureen was blessed to share so many of the best things that life has to offer alongside her loved ones, and it was when surrounded by their love that she experienced true joy. She was devout in her Catholic faith, and her life was a testament to the beliefs she held dear. Life will never be the same without Maureen here, but she leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that her friends and loved ones will forever hold near and dear to their hearts.

The 1950s were an exciting time in America. Televisions were becoming part of our homes, which brought us shows like Father Knows Best and I Love Lucy. Elvis Presley became a household name, and by the end of the decade we had become a nation of 50 states with the addition of both Alaska and Hawaii. Amidst this eventful time was a time of great celebration in the lives of Andrew and Mary Alice (Christian) Anderson as they announced the birth of their twin girls, Maureen Kay and Marguerite May, on June 10, 1958, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Maureen was the youngest of six to be raised in the family home in the Burton Heights area of Grand Rapids as she was joined in her family by her siblings, Barbara Jean, Mary Jane, Stephen, and Judith along with her twin sister, Marguerite May. Later, their family moved to Cherry Run, NW, on the WestSide. Maureen's father was an accountant while her mother was an LPN and a homemaker.

In many ways Maureen was a young girl of her generation. She was a tomboy as she could often be found hanging with the boys rather than the girls. Maureen and Marguerite were very close, and they often looked out for one another. She enjoyed doing things like exploring the woods in the back of their home or even making forts as well as sledding and ice skating at Richmond Park with friends during the winter months. Maureen and her siblings all attended St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church near their home, which is where they also attended Sunday mass together. From there Maureen went to West Catholic High School where she was known for being quite mischievous. Maureen spent her senior year at City High School where she became part of the graduating class in 1976. After graduating, Maureen often attended the West Catholic reunions to see all her old friends. She and her twin sister learned to drive at a young age thanks to their mother. When they took driver's training they ended up passing earlier than the other kids because of their additional experience.

After graduating from high school, Maureen moved to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where her sister, Judy lived. There, she took a job as a waitress in a restaurant, living there until 1986. It was while there that she met and married David Messer. Together they had a son, David. The marriage ended in divorce after a few years, and she and David returned to Grand Rapids where they lived with sister, Mary Jane. Maureen spent some time working at 20th Century Meat Market.

New and exciting changes were in store for Maureen when she met the man with whom she would share the rest of her life in 1986. His name was Wayne Dobson, and they met when he offered her a job directing planes at the Gerald R. Ford Airport. They began dating, fell in love, and were married on December 29, 1987, in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 1990 they were blessed with the birth of their son, Andrew. Maureen always loved dogs, and over the years they enjoyed the companionship of their dogs, Toto, Lucky, Liberty, Cinnamon, and Hanna, a German Shepard as she had always wanted a German Shepard.

Throughout her life Maureen was one to keep busy. She had an amazing work ethic and loved to clean, which is why she and Wayne established a cleaning business, Maureen’s Cleaning Service. They started off in homes, and they later moved to apartments and then new construction. The business is still in operation today. Around home Maureen loved growing flowers in her yard, and they raised a few chickens as well. She was very politically minded and opinionated, and she enjoyed watching Fox 17 News, the History Channel, and ESPN. Maureen also enjoyed the Fruitland Flower Show, talk radio, and NPR. She was an avid reader of novels, history, and spiritual books as well as books and television shows on WWII. Maureen was devout in her Catholic faith and frequently attended Mass at St. Anthony’s Church on Sunday. She was a great cook who was most famous for her chicken and dumplings, goulash, salads, and ribs, and she and Wayne loved to eat at Walker Roadhouse or Westside Social. Maureen frequently went out to breakfast at Mr. Burger or Pop’s Restaurant with her sister, Mary Jane. She also loved visiting with her grandchildren as it was easy to see that the sun rose and set with Danielle, Grace, and Andrew.

Life was forever changed for Maureen and her loved ones when she was diagnosed with cancer after suffering a fall in March of 2018. After several rounds of chemo, radiation, and surgery, the cancer was found to have metastasized. Maureen was hospitalized several times, and the cancer continued to spread.

All who knew Maureen Dobson would agree that she was truly beautiful on the inside and out. She was always happy and funny with a fantastic sense of humor. It has been said that Maureen was a perfectionist, and she didn’t shy away from letting others know of a better way of doing things. Dedicated to her loved ones, she treasured her roles as a wife, mother, and grandmother. Maureen will never be forgotten.

Maureen Kay Dobson (Anderson), aged 61, of Grand Rapids, passed away at her home on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 with her loving family at her side. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Wayne Dobson; her children, David and Erica Dobson, Andrew and Alexandra Dobson; grandchildren, Danielle, Grace and Andrew; sisters, Mary Jane Minasola, Judy (Tony) Proia, Marguerite May Howland; many nieces, nephews and friends. Maureen was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Mary Alice Anderson, her sister, Barbara Kopp and her brother Stephen. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, September 30, at 11:00 AM at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 2510 Richmond Ave. NW. Burial in Holy Cross Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church on Monday from 10:00 am until Mass begins at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the VanAndel Institute for Cancer Research. To read more about Maureen’s life, to sign her guest book and to leave your own memory of her, visit her web page at www.heritagelifestory.com