Dorothy Fulton Morisette's Obituary
Dorothy Fulton Morisette
Dorothy was 89 years old when she peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior on June 19, 2017, in Fair Oaks, California, with her daughter by her side.
She was born on August 16, 1927, the only child of Thomas and Minnie (Starrett) McKinnon, in Sacramento. When Minnie became very ill, young Dorothy moved with her family to Oregon where they lived with Minnie’s brother, Fulton Starrett. He was a strong Christian man of God. Bible studies always came first. When Dorothy’s friends came calling from the porch for her to come out and play, Uncle Fulton would always say, “Dorothy can come out and play after Bible studies!” While her mother was sick in bed, with Dorothy by her side, her mother would have a Bible and task Dorothy to memorize scripture for her Sunday School. She at one time had memorized over 500 verses! (Not at one time, of course).
When Dorothy was growing up, because of her mother’s illness, she would often spend the summer on her grandparents’ ranch in Elverta, California. She recalled many happy care free days on the ranch.
Dorothy worked in a print shop in her early 20s. She would be responsible to make and print the ads for a local department store. Sometimes she would illustrate the clothing styles for sale.
One day, Dorothy had to accompany her mother to the doctor on the bus. As they were riding on the bus, it was very crowded and she had to stand up. She was scanning the passengers on the bus. Her eyes locked on a young good-looking solider. He caught her looking at him. He winked at her and she blushed and looked away. Then the soldier was getting off the bus. As she was sitting on the bus, this handsome soldier picked up some pebbles and threw them at her window and smiled. Dorothy, so taken with this heart-throb, took notice of the intersection where he got off the bus. After she got home, she told her parents she wanted to ride her bike. So off she rode 20 blocks to the intersection where the handsome soldier had gotten off the bus. There happened to be a little store on the corner. She went inside and asked the man behind the counter, “Is there a soldier that lives nearby?” “Oh, you mean Sargent Warren Morisette? Sure, he lives right there on the corner of 57th and Flavel Streets!” So, she jotted down his address, wrote him a letter saying who she was, and gave him her phone number.
You have to know that was really unusual for the mother we knew! The mother we grew up knowing was very quiet, meek and humble. We never thought she was very strong or assertive. But she didn’t need be, she had Jesus in her heart. If she really wanted something to happen, she prayed, she asked friends to pray.
Warren and Dorothy married on June 10, 1951, in Sacramento, California where they made their home. Mike and Michelle, their children, were born there. They had great neighbors except right next door lived a family with two children, a boy and a girl, same ages, seemed great! But the little boy liked to play with matches and burned his house down. Warren said we better move before he burns our house down. So we did move into an older little house on a half acre in Carmichael. Finally, they moved to another house in Carmichael where Dorothy remained for over 60 years.
Once, the family decided to take a Sunday drive and just see where the road might lead them. They started driving up this long gravel driveway with horse pastures on either side. Dorothy was looking all around and began to realize this was the same ranch she had spent many summer months enjoying. She saw an old house that was the original house her grandparents lived in. That ranch was Gibson Ranch in Elverta. The ranch has since been donated by the Gibson Family and is now a well-known working ranch and tourist attraction in the Sacramento area.
Dorothy was a stay-at-home mom. She had Backyard Bible Club weekly at our home. She was very involved with her church teaching Sunday School for years. Fast forward, years later she had a knock on her door, a young man stood there; he came to thank her for having Backyard Bible Club because he had given his life to the Lord. He wanted to come and personally thank her.
When the kids were in high school, she thought she would take a job at Macy’s in downtown Sacramento. Since she didn’t drive, she had to get up very early and take the bus. She worked there for 16 years before transferring to the Citrus Heights Macy’s store, for a total of 24 years at Macy’s.
Dorothy loved to paint. She used oils, pastels and water colors. One particular time, she had a chance to use both her talent for art with her job. While she was in the cashier’s office, upstairs where customers would come for their credit and cash transactions, she noticed a man standing by the elevators. He gave her a bad feeling. She thought to herself, he’s up to no good! Well, her shift was over and she went home. Later, that evening Mike called and said, “So I see you had some excitement at Macy’s today!” Evidently, there had been a robbery at Macy’s. When Dorothy heard that, she said, “I know exactly who it was!” She told the authorities and that she could draw a picture of him. Her drawing was in the paper. They caught the thief and Dorothy got a $200 reward!
After retiring from Macy’s, she was happy to spend more time with her family and friends on wonderful trips to the beach, and up to the mountains to visit the cabin of her dear friend, Betty Knight. One of her most special trips was to Ireland with her long-time friend, Barbara Ruff, to meet her only living relative, her cousin, Rae Starrett. When Dorothy was a child, her mother, who was born in Ireland, would encourage her to write to Rae. Since Dorothy was taken out of school to help care for her mother, this was a great lesson in writing. She had been writing Rae all of her life and finally got to meet her face to face! They continued letters and phone calls life-long.
Dorothy was a member of Arcade Baptist Church in Sacramento for over 60 years. She had a circle of friends that kept her in their prayers constantly, and she did the same for them. Dorothy would ask her friends to pray for Warren to accept the Lord. These prayers went on for years. At one point in the marriage, Warren told Dorothy he was leaving her. She told him that she loved him like God loves us, she held him with an open hand, and that he was free to go. While Warren left that day, God gave Dorothy the courage, strength, and peace to carry on without him. She and Warren made peace with one another eventually.
As Dorothy’s health began to fail, Mike and Michelle and her doctors agreed she couldn’t live safely alone in her Carmichael home. For about 6 months, her children cared for her in their homes. Her next home for the next 3 years became Almond Avenue Residence Club in Orangevale. She absolutely loved it and felt right at home from the start!
Eskaton Fair Oaks was her last residence in 2016 when she required a higher level of care. She adjusted wonderfully, and had a sweet roommate and attentive, caring staff, nurses, and nurse aids. The love between them was mutual. Her family was able to regularly visit her, take her in her wheelchair when she was able, have parties with her, and share so much joy with her! She even attended an artist club when she could. And on occasion, Mike would bring her favorite treat, ice cream!
Dorothy was a blessing and an encourager to all. She never missed an opportunity to share with others, with gentleness and respect, the reason for the hope she had for eternal life with Jesus (1 Peter 3:15).
While she was so tired and ready to go “home” to heaven to be with her Lord, she heard her favorite scripture, Psalm 139, as she met Jesus face-to face.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.
Dorothy is survived by her children, Michael Warren (Carol) Morisette of Antelope, Michelle Iva (Harald) Breisacher of Citrus Heights, and Warren’s son, Philip (Jenny) Morisette of North Rockhampton, Australia; grandchildren, Steven (Cristina) Huckabay, Kevin (Amie) Morisette, Lauri (Taro) Trabish, Benjamin (Courtney) Morisette, Rebecca (Ralph) Faria, and Joshua (Jenny) Morisette; 8 great-grandchildren; and cousin Rae Starrett of Londonderry, Ireland; and other relatives.
She is at rest at Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes in Sacramento. Memorials may be made to Arcade Baptist Church in Sacramento.
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