Obituaries

Dolores Mortinsen, age 86, of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, passed away peacefully on
Sunday, March 24, 2024, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law (Jerry and Pam
Mortinsen) in Perry, Michigan.

Dolores was born in Ferndale, Michigan, on April 7, 1937, to Willard and Mamie (Ollila)
Gibbons. Dolores was the youngest of six and loved spending time with her sisters, Faye,
Betty, Lillian, and brother, Richard. (Sister, Glenna died as a toddler). Dolores was a 1955
graduate of Sault High School. She met her future husband, Myron Mortinsen while still
in high school. On July 29, 1955, she married Myron in Sault. Ste. Marie.
After a brief time in South Dakota, they settled down in Michigan, where they raised four
children — Rhonda, Jerry, Terri, and Kirk.

Dolores worked as a Nurses Aid for many years and found joy in caring for elderly
patients at War Memorial Hospital. She was a dedicated member of the First Free Methodist Church throughout her adult life and modeled Christian living in all her work
and leisure. Her passion was for her husband and family. She enjoyed large family
gatherings with games, sing-alongs, and good food.

She joyfully welcomed each new grandchild and great-grandchild and loved to receive
their visits, phone calls, and pictures. For most of the last 5 years, Dolores lived with her son,
Jerry and daughter-in-law, Pam at their home in Perry, but loved returning several
times a year to her home in the Sault.

Throughout their 64-year marriage, Dolores and Myron were fully devoted to each
other. Their love was readily apparent in the way they looked at each other, supported
each other, and enjoyed time together.

Dolores is survived by her children, Jerry (Pam) Mortinsen of Perry and
Terri (Larry) Merte of Ann Arbor, Michigan; brother, Richard (Ann) Gibbons of Sault Ste. Marie;
eight grandchildren, Darin (Melissa) Mortinsen, Amy (Doug) Doerner, Jason Mortinsen,
Robin (Gary) Null, Dylan Mortinsen, Jennifer (Alex) Freiman, Heather (Jae) Thompson,
and Ben Merte; and twenty great-grandchildren; Caden, Kolton, Cavan, Owen, Makenzie,
Brady, Griffin, Jaelynn, Haven, Leland, Kyler, Jaxon, Lauren, Peyton, Jacob, Connor,
Zachary, Anthony, Aubrey, and Amelia.

Dolores was preceded in death by her husband, Myron in 2019, and her children
Rhonda Pavlat and Kirk Mortinsen.

A Funeral Service will be held on April 5, 2024, at 3:30 PM at the First Free Methodist Church with Pastor Willard Hotchkiss officiating. Friends and family may visit the
church from 2:00 pm until the time of service.

A Burial will be held later in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Dolores Mortinsen can be made to the Sault
Free Methodist Church (505 West 4th Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783.