Dorothy Jean Eppstein

EPPSTEIN,
Dorothy Jean Dodd Born March 1, 1918, Lansing, Michigan. Died June 7,
2010, Kalamazoo, Michigan in Bronson Hospital from complications of a fall. Dorothy was a free spirited, caring humanist with a joyful passion for life. She was a
pilot, a wife, the mother of five, grandmother of ten, great-grandmother of three, a home builder, a teacher, an addictions counselor, a tournament bridge player, an activist, an actress, an author, a dancer, a singer, and an ice skater, and more than held her own at Texas
hold'm, craps and blackjack. She was an inspiration to those who knew her; she lived a remarkable life. Born to Mabel and Eugene Dodd, her strong nature was evident as early as 6 months of age, when she survived the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The youngest of five children, she asserted her independence early on, driving herself to school when she was 13 in her father's model A Ford. Although she grew up in a time where women were expected to be primarily homemakers, Dorothy
never let this get in the way of other goals. Her original
college major of home economics evolved into a degree in Chemistry from Michigan State University, which 'qualified' her to become the research secretary at the Upjohn Company. As WWII took more and more men away from the labs, Dorothy was hired as the first woman chemist to work in the research labs at Upjohn's.
She met her future husband there, Samuel Eppstein. Dorothy's love of adventure led her to obtaining a pilot's license, and she became one of only 1100 women in
the Women Air force Service Pilots WASPs, serving as
a ferry and test pilot in
WWII, logging more than 400 hours of flight time in military
aircraft including the P38, P40, P51, B17, B25, and DC3. After the war, Dorothy did what most returning veterans did, settled down and started a family. Now a Mom, she took her role as 'homemaker' literally, as she and Dad built their own Frank Lloyd Wright house in "The Acres" near Galesburg, Michigan - with Mom laying concrete blocks while pregnant. Mom taught by example - she became active in both the Civil Rights and Women's Movements in the late fifties and early
sixties, took her children
with her on peace and civil rights marches, and frequently had letters published in the Kalamazoo Gazette. She was a founding member of NOW, and was present in Washington DC when Dr. King gave his famous, "I have a Dream" speech. Her convictions on the value of humanism and ethical behavior were a constant in her life. She was an active member of the People's Church of
Kalamazoo and carried her activism into the antiwar movement of the sixties. After her youngest child started school, Dorothy went back into the workplace in the mid sixties. She followed her conviction to help people by working as a public school science and math teacher, a guidance counselor and, after receiving Masters degrees in both Counseling and Social Work, a therapist helping people overcome their addictions and other self-defeating behaviors. In her mid fifties, she went to work at the Veterans Hospital in Battle Creek, where she worked in the addiction counseling center until her retirement at the young age of 72. In 'retirement,' Dorothy put pen to paper and documented her counseling philosophy in her book "Is Living Killing You" on how to eliminate self-defeating behaviors. She self published her book with the help of her oldest granddaughter. She found great joy in being able to pass on her method to those who came to her for help or were interested in her teachings. She also taught several classes at the women's prison in Jackson, MI. Earlier this year, she flew to Washington D.C. to accept the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the U.S., honoring her
service as a WASP during WWII. Fiercely independent until the end, it was a great source of pleasure and pride to Dorothy to be able to live independently until her death. She is survived by her five children, Elizabeth Downs of Chicago, Deborah Eppstein of Salt Lake City, Laurel Eppstein of Kalamazoo, Jonathan Eppstein of Atlanta, and Margaret Eppstein of Burlington, VT; ten grand-children, Carrie Rios, Alyssa Halpin, Caitilin Soderstrom, Benjamin Soderstrom, Joanna Randazzo, Rachael Eppstein, Samuel Eppstein, Yevgeny Eppstein, Stuart Heinrich, and Daniel Gillette; three great grand-children, Samuel Copper, Kate Copper and
Simon Rios; her cats, Ricky and EO; and her many friends. Her family continues to benefit from her positive attitude and joy in living. A memorial in celebration
of Dorothy's life will be held 7:00 PM Friday, June 11, at the Peoples' Church on 1758 10th Street. In lieu of sending flowers, please enjoy life and give to others, thinking of Dorothy.