Dorothy Emery

PORTAGE  --  Dorothy Emery, age 89, of Portage, died on Friday, August 8, 2014 at Tivoli in Portage.

Dorothy was born on January 24, 1925, in Vaiden, Mississippi. She graduated from Sandoval Illinois High School, and started her career in Chicago carrying securities for a Chicago based railroad.  She worked for Montgomery Ward’s in LaGrange, Illinois where she met her husband, Vernon Dale Emery.  They were married in Harvard, Illinois during WWII, and raised six children while living in Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, and Wisconsin. 

Her career spanned many years working in catalog sales, retail management, banking and insurance.  Together with her husband, they bought the Portage Gambles store in 1969 which they ran until 1975.  Dorothy had been a member of the Portage United Methodist Church where she participated in their quilting group and volunteered in the church office.  She also volunteered at Divine Savior Healthcare, the Red Cross Blood Drive, and worked for many years at the voting polls.  One of her many passions was making quilts for family and friends. 

Dorothy is survived by her children, Judith E. (Lewis) Linson, of Conyers, GA, Alan (Kathy) Emery, of Conyers, GA, Joyce (Dennis) Emery-Brennan, of Oshkosh, Phillip (Lise McNamee) Emery, of Portage, Jeffrey Emery, of Portage, and Jennifer (Patrick) Malone, Jr., of Portage; her grandchildren, Joshua (Mindy) Malone, of Plover, Corinne Malone, of Hartford, and Collin Malone, of Portage; her great-grandchildren, Kian Malone, Kyler Malone and Cade Malone, all of Plover, other relatives and many friends.  She was preceded in death by her mother, Effie Gerrish, her grandparents, Levi and Gussie Gerrish, and her husband, Vernon, who passed away on September 3, 1989, as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.  

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13, 2014, at Portage United Methodist Church with Rev. Tom Countryman officiating.  Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage and on Wednesday, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church.