Dorothy T Carlton

Dorothy, 88, was a caring daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She went to her heavenly home. Dorothy was born to John and Katherine Toth. She graduated from Calumet High School and Suomi College (now Finlandia University) in Hancock, MI and also attended Marquette University and Wayne State University. Dorothy was married to the love her life, Frederick "Fritz" Carlton who preceded her in death in 1997. After his passing, she remained fiercely independent putting finishing touches on their "camp" retirement home in Agate Harbor, Michigan. She was passionate about a sense of community and life in the Copper Country. She found time to participate in community activities hosted by the Keweenaw Historical Society and the American Cancer Society while caring for aging relatives. Other places Dorothy lived were Dearborn Heights where she taught elementary school, Escanaba and Kingsford, where she held various service industry positions while raising their family. Besides Fritz and her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant grandson, Jack Wilson, sister-in-law Patricia (Carlton) Chopp, sister-in law Margaret (Peg) Carlton, brother-in-law Edward Chopp, brother-in-law Robert Masnado, and several special aunties and friends. In a final letter she composed, Dorothy expressed that family was her greatest pride and joy. She urged all who knew her to remember how fleeting our time on earth is and to celebrate the gift of the precious moments we are able to share together. She wrote to keep happy memories, forgive faults and weaknesses and continue to live lives with faith, courage, love of God and family. She leaves us with rich memories of hiking, berry picking, beach combing for rocks and driftwood, and of course her homemade soups, jams, pies, cookies, and pasties. The most important and never-missing ingredient in her cooking was the love that she put into every recipe. Her legacy of love and tenacity will endure! Dorothy is survived by her five children Mike (Zona) Carlton of Fence, WI; Colleen (Randy) LaLonde of Lansing, MI; Dean (Valerie) Carlton of Pace, FL; Brian Carlton, Woodland, MI; and Cassie (Bob) Wilson of Okemos, MI. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Jenna Carlton (Nick Braciszewski) and Bobby Wilson, four step-grandchildren Sarah (Michael) Kebler, Aaron Wilson (Carly Turek), Daniel Wilson, and Nicholas Mayo and three great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Pastor Ken (Lillian) Toth of Laurium and their children (daughter Becky (Tim) Femrite and Debbie (Todd) Faust, her brother in-law Robert F. Carlton (Lake Linden), sister-in-law, Mary K Masnado (Madison), and several nieces, nephews and cousins, too numerous to mention whom she always enjoyed visits with at Agate Harbor. A celebration of her life memorial mass is scheduled to be held on Saturday July 31, 2021 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Calumet, MI. The Carlton family would like to extend our sincere thanks and respect to Sparrow Hospital Home Hospice and the Mid-Michigan Hospice Health professionals for their wonderful care for Dorothy. Dorothy was dedicated to preserving the jewels of the Copper Country. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to: Keweenaw Catholic Community, Calumet, MI; Keweenaw County Historical Society, Mohawk, MI.; Calumet Theatre, Calumet, Michigan Vickers Funeral Home