Dorothy A. Goodwin

Dorothy Alice Goodwin         May 11, 1934-December 23, 2023            Kalamazoo, Michigan

Dorothy (“Dottie”) Goodwin passed away peacefully on December 23, 2023, at the age of 89.  Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Dorothy Goodwin lived in many places—as far away as Ibadan, Nigeria—before settling in Kalamazoo, where she lived for more than fifty years.  Licensed as a registered nurse, Dottie worked primarily in public health.  She loved driving out to various farms to provide maternal health and neonatal care to the seasonal workers.

She also visited public schools to provide vaccinations and conduct scoliosis screenings.

After retirement, Dottie worked  part-time at MacKenzies Bakery, where she enjoyed serving “kruglies” (Dottie’s word for sweet treats) to the customers and having a friendly chat.  She also volunteered at Bronson Hospital, helping in the neonatal department.

Dottie attended People’s Church for many years, contributing to the children’s programming and participating in the choir.  She loved playing the organ for special services and would sometimes practice her favorite hymns during off hours, using the pedals as much as possible for the big sound she favored. 

Music was a big part of Dottie’s life; she attended organ concerts, sang in the Bach Festival, and participated in the “Messiah Sing.”  One method Dottie used for managing the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic was listening to joyful music, such as Sousa marches.  

Dottie loved everything to do with gardens and gardening—from reading about English gardens in the special magazines she found at Kalamazoo News, to shopping for the perfect red geraniums at River Street Flowerland, to constructing entire stone walls to shape her property the way she liked it.  Every place she lived became a wonderland of carefully-curated cement creatures, rose-covered trellises, and artfully-shaped flower beds.

Dottie enjoyed a fond connection with her two grandchildren, Dorothy Armstrong and Pippa Armstrong, to whom she was “Grandma Dot,” always up for “mischief.”  When they were small, she would hunt for extravagant hats and sequined dresses at Goodwill to add to their “dress-up box.” When they grew older, she followed their activities as a loving supporter, always concluding a visit with the words, “You are AWESOME!”

Dottie loved animals, especially her cats.  She happily served as  “petsitter” for friends and family, and she loved hearing about the escapades of others’ pets.  Her love of animals included sheep and goats, which she enjoyed seeing at Fiber Fest and whose fleeces supplied her with the yarn she loved to weave and knit.

A long drive in the countryside, a meal of bratwurst, red cabbage, and German potato salad, or an afternoon of antiquing all brought Dottie joy.  She also found purpose in helping others.

Dottie will be missed by her children Steven Curl and Laura Armstrong, daughter-in-law Sara Shields, and son-in-law Jim Armstrong.

A celebration of Dottie’s life will take place from 9:30-11:00 AM on Friday, March 8, 2024, at Sarkozy’s Bakery, 350 East Michigan Avenue.  Join us for a “krugly” to remember her!

In honor of Dottie, we invite you to donate to the Bronson Health Foundation https://www.bronsonhealth.com/bronson-health-foundation/online-giving/, to the Kalamazoo Humane Society https://www.kazoohumane.org/,  or to the Kalamazoo In Bloom charity https://www.kalamazooinbloom.org/donate.

While at www.amsfuneralhomes.com please take time to sign Dorothy's guestbook and.or share a memory with her family.

Dorothy's family is being cared for by the Avink, McCowen & Secord Funeral Home and Cremation Society, 129 South Grand Ave, Schoolcraft, MI 49087 (269) 679-5622.