Dorothy Virginia Stuckey
Dorothy Virginia Stuckey, 99, of Mercer Island, passed away Saturday, March 9, 2013. She was born the youngest of four children on March 27, 1913 in Seattle, to Louise and George Ross. Dorothy attended Lincoln High School in Seattle, and earned her first paycheck as a beautician at a downtown Seattle beauty parlor. She married Minford Irwin Stuckey on December 10, 1933, on Mercer Island. Shortly thereafter they moved to Grand Coulee, where Minford worked on the construction of the dam. After living in a tent and one-room shack during the frigid winter of 1934, she assisted in the construction and operation of Stuckey’s Service Station, the town’s first. While in Grand Coulee, two of their five children were born. In 1943 Dorothy moved to the Groveland Park area of Mercer Island to live with her parents while Minford served overseas during WWII. Minford returned after the war’s end, and together they built a home on Mercer Island where they raised their family. Dorothy took joy in simple pleasures; the season’s first snowflake, the roar of the Blue Angels overhead, finding agates with her family on the beach at Lopez. She loved reading her Bible, playing the piano ragtime, gardening, canning, and baking. Her pies were legendary. At the age of 90 she enjoyed playing the piano for the “old folks” at the Norse Home in Seattle. She loved her family dearly, and spent her life showing them how much. Dorothy was preceded in death by daughter Jackie in 1952, and husband Minford in 2002. She is survived by sons Dan Stuckey (Laura) and John Stuckey (Laurie), and daughters Patty Buckingham (Duane) and Mary Larson. She also leaves behind 12 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson, and many other relatives and friends who loved her and will greatly miss her. A memorial service will be held at 3 pm on Saturday, March 23, at Mercer Island Covenant Church, with a reception following.Remembrances are suggested to Focus On The Family, 8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80995, or www.focusonthefamily.com