Dorothy Elkins, left us Thursday, March 26, 2020 having led a life of 86 years, almost 87 as she would have turned 87 in May. She had lived a full life. That's a good feeling and one that not everyone feels. It gives us peace to know she felt that way. Loving wife of Russell for 62 years; cherished mother of Dale (Patrice) Elkins; grandmother of Kelly (Tim Phillips) Elkins, Melanie (William) DiProfio, and Michael Elkins; great grandmother of Madeleine, Katie, Jake, Liz, Nico, and Sara. Preceded in death by parents, Clyde and Mary (nee Harbin) Warren, and brother, Cecil Warren. I can't say that we didn't expect this to happen. No one lives forever and her mobility had been reduced the last few years. Still, she was sharp as a tack, fiercely independent and strongly-opinionated. But when she took a fall on the carpet while walking with her walker and hit her head, we knew it wasn't good. After a month long fight, she died of COPD. She had really good genes. She was basically healthy her whole life. Sure, she needed a new hip. She developed arthritis in her hands in her early 50's. But she never had cancer or dementia. Grandma was determined, resourceful, and persevering. She married at 16 years old - 9 days before her 17th birthday, she always reminded us. She always said she was mature for her age. She had a tenth grade education and he had gone through 8th grade. Their son was born less than five months later. He was a preemie. Grandpa was 21 when they married. Babies raising a baby. They lived in her mother in law's garage for months. They worked in the shop, alternating shifts. Within a couple years, he set out on his own to start a business and eventually built a very successful demolition and excavating company. She worked as an elevator operator. He needed capital to build the business, pay the men. More than once, they'd be short at the end of the week. But he fiercely believed he could make it. And she believed in him. When he listened to her, they were a great team. He would hock her wedding ring to pay the bills. He'd go to the pawn shop to get it back the next week. They eventually broke that cycle. He bought her a little china tea set that she has to this day, as well as pretty miniatures and figurines. Eventually she was able to tend to the bills and accounts for the business and was otherwise a homemaker. They bought a house. Moved in. Smoked and played poker at the table while my their son fell asleep underneath. She always said he was a great kid. So easy. Well-behaved. They were very proud of him. She dressed him well, polished his shoes, tamed his beautiful red curls. Soon though, my grandpa told me, they gave the house back to the bank. He didn't like having a mortgage. He got his money out, found a city lot and began to build a home. They had access to used building supplies from their jobs. They used recycled materials before it was fashionable. When they completed the house and moved in, it was all theirs. They didn't owe anyone anything. That's how they liked it. The business continued to do well. They purchased commercial lots and built several buildings for the business. They were able to afford family vacations to California and Florida. They sent their only son to college. They were avid bowlers and bowled in several leagues. In 1976, they sold their modest starter home and built "the house on the hill," as it was affectionately called. That was the grandma and grandpa's house we knew growing up. It was a beautiful quad-level home with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, formal living and dining rooms, attached garage and large family room. They enjoyed billiards and had a pool table and bar in the finished basement. They had an organ in the living room. They hung a tire swing from the tree. They had always wanted to have horses, so they built a beautiful barn and got their horses - two horses and two ponies. Those horses were a lot of work, as horses are. But grandma and grandpa got up and tended to them every day. The horses weren't all fun. Grandpa was thrown and kicked once and was black and blue all over. It's amazing he suffered no ruptured organs. The ponies were for grandchildren to ride. Grandma loved the horses and signed up for riding lessons. They would eventually sell the house and buy one "in town." They thought they'd like to live closer and she had always wanted a pool. The house had an outdoor in ground pool and they really enjoyed it. Grandpa fought with the pumps and tried to keep the leaves and bugs out of the pool. He always strove to keep it sparkling for her. Living in town wasn't their thing. So twenty years ago, they bought land on the other end of the road as the house on the hill and started building another house. But my grandpa was done fighting to keep everything out of the pool and they both wanted a longer season than Michigan summers afforded them so he dug a hole next to the house and they bought a big fiberglass pool and installed it. She was really proud - like a big bathtub, she would say. They built a room around it and soon they had a heated, indoor pool. It was unexpected in a country ranch home and the floor was pink like pink flamingos, which she always liked. Grandma had a green thumb and she was thrilled to have a tropical environment for new plants. When her husband passed away 8 years ago, it was too much for her to keep up the house and pool so it mostly went unused unless family was visiting. But she lived out her years independently there with her son shopping for her, taking her to appointments, visiting her on Sundays, maintaining the house, yard, and doing whatever else she asked of him. She had high standards. And she asked a lot.Her house was always immaculate and everything was beautiful and had its place. She was a master decorator, fit together furnishings and decorations very well. Her orchids bloomed multiple times per year. She had impeccable taste and bought things to last. Her 1970's fashion consisted of polyester pants and blouse outfits that were always wrinkle-free and fit great. She used the same dishes with the brown horse and buggy carriages, silverware, and percolator. They built their last house when in their late 60's, and landscaped all 5 acres with plants and flowers. She loved flowers and it brought her joy to tend to them. It really frustrated her in later years when she had to rely on someone else to help care for them. When they were younger, she would do all of the yard work during the week while grandpa was at work so they could spend the weekend together, going out, not working. Growing up, my grandma and grandpa came to our house every Christmas and we went to their house for Thanksgiving. We loved seeing and spending time with them. On our birthdays every year, she would take each of us grandkids out to lunch and shopping for our gift. She would pull up in her big town car. We loved those days, those outings. She made us each feel so special. As we got older, she took us school clothes shopping. We loved shopping with her. This woman could shop till you drop. Dorothy and Russell lived the American dream. They retired from the demolition and excavating business when they were in their 50's. They built a business; traveled; kept horses; become restaurateurs; built an indoor pool; cooked good food; built a beautiful home; and had a loving family. She accomplished her goals and had a wonderful life.Private services will be held.