Dorothy Young

Dorothy Janet Young, 96, of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 14th at the Hospice House of the Eastern Upper Peninsula. She was a steadfast, loving, strong and proudly Scottish woman, deeply committed to her family and friends. Her physical presence in the lives of all she touched will be dearly missed. Dorothy was born on February 13th, 1923 in Fort William, Ontario in Canada to her parents, Robert William Gilray and Christina Mercer (Dryburgh) Gilray. Dorothy was the middle child to her siblings Bob, Thelma, Gordie, and John. Eventually, the family immigrated to the United States in 1938, and resided in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. A member of the Sault High Class of 1942, she was married to George Ronald Barkley, Sr. in July of 1943. Together, they raised four children: Ron, Dennis, John, and Bonnie. Dorothy worked at the Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours and later at War Memorial Hospital to help support her family. Later, she went to college for two years in 1976 to become an Accredited Record Technician. She was a proud member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, War Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and the Medical Record Association. One of Dorothy's great joys later in life was a second chance at love and marriage to George Young in 1988. In marrying George, Dorothy gained a large and loving family, including George's children Darrell, Sharon, Lowell, Wanda and Debbie, their spouses and their children. Dorothy and George loved to winter in Florida with friends every year, attend county fairs, and be with their kids and grandkids. When George's health began to fail, Dorothy cared for him until the end, a devoted wife. At his funeral, she wore purple, his favorite color, and kept his memory alive ever since with countless stories about their time together. Dorothy's life always revolved around what she valued most of all: her faith, her family, and her friends. She attended countless family gatherings and sporting events, church, and weekly dinner outings with a large group of friends. She made the best potato salad and was always eager to help with preparing and enjoying food with family. During her time at the Avery Center, she was incredibly social and even coordinated driving the "older ladies" to run errands and attend church services. Her family and friends are thankful she held on tight to her sense of humor, stubbornness, a concern for how her hair looked, and her memories until the end. In her final weeks of life, many were able to visit or call to say their goodbyes to her as she held court from her hospital bed or chair. Dorothy was predeceased by her siblings: Thelma and Robert Gilray. Dorothy leaves behind her four children, Ron Barkley and his wife Phyllis, Dennis Barkley, Bonnie Weber and her husband Bud, and John Barkley and his wife Gina as well as her step-children, Darrell Young and his wife Ginger, Sharon Freamon and her husband Floyd, Lowell Young and his wife Christine, Wanda MacLoed and her husband Steve, and Deborah Shoemaker and her husband Brian. She was the grandmother, known as "Grandma B" to her late granddaughter Christina Barkley, Jill and Amy Barkley Roy, Jason Barkley, Jessica Barkley, Curtis and Heather Weber, Cindy and Ryan Alaspa, Danielle and Jim Hayden, Travis and Kaitlin Barkley, Ryan and Mandi VanBuskirk, Ashton and Joe Hentzen, Amber and Brian Bahr, Jessica and Michael Stevens, Michelle and Marc Bertolo, Floyd Freamon Jr., Keenan and Laura Young, Nathan Young, Randy and Symantha Young, Amy and Odin Osogwin, Zac, Mitchell, and Adam MacLeod, and Elie and Sadie Shoemaker. She was also blessed with great-grandchildren, Maitlyn Barkley, CJ (Chelsey) and Bret Weber, Ryley, Haley, and Lilly Alaspa, Blake and Zoey Mickleson, Vincent Barkley, Landon and Bo Young, Brekston, Blair, and Becker Hentzen, Treveon and Aliyah Stevens, Alyssa Bertolo, Holly and Kayle Young, Kaidyn Osogwin, and great-great-grandchild Knox Weber. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 20th from 10:00 a.m. - Noon at C.S. Mulder Funeral Home in Sault Ste. Marie. Services will be held at the same location at Noon, followed by burial at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens. Dorothy's family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Medilodge Assisted living and the Hospice House of the Eastern Upper Peninsula for all their attentive and loving care. To honor Dorothy, and to continue to support her friends who still reside at Medilodge, the family encourages donations to be sent there or to the Hospice House of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Tributes

Dorothy Young

February 13, 1923 - November 14, 2019