Dorothy M. "Dot" Mcgarry

Each of us faces challenges in our lives, hurdles we must overcome to find true happiness. Dot McGarry was a woman who was never defined by the challenges she faced, but instead by her many triumphs. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, who always put her family first in her life, the family that was truly her greatest triumph. Dot's story began on a mild spring day in 1941, in the charming beachside town of Muskegon, Michigan. That year brought with it so much turmoil in this country, as the dark skies of World War II dramatically covered our country for the first time. Yet in spring of that year, there was peace, and hope, especially for Milford and Christine (Beathea) Reed, who celebrated the birth of a baby girl on March 19, 1941, a daughter they named Dorothy. Dot's father worked at Campbell Wyant and the Cannon Foundry in Muskegon, while her mother cared for their growing family in their Lakeside home. Dot joined siblings Bob, Milt, Bill, Mary and Russ in the close-knit family, which did so much together over the years. The Reeds took many family vacations together, and did plenty of traveling, fishing, hunting and gardening together, too. Dot was a very bright young girl, and was moved from the fourth grade and into the fifth grade early. When she was in high school, she met a handsome young man named Ervin Artlip, who was a few years older than she was and freshly home from the Korean War. The two quickly fell in love and wasted little time. Dot dropped out of high school and married her sweetheart in 1957, when she was just 16. The newlyweds settled into a little apartment on Glade Street in Muskegon, and Ervin provided for his bride by working at a local transmission shop. They were a very happy young couple, and soon enough, a happy family, too. Dot and Ervin celebrated their first child, Ralph, in 1959. The next year, needing more room to grow, they bought their first home, at 3212 Ninth Street in Muskegon Heights. There they celebrated the births of Maxine, in 1960, Blake, in 1962, Ervin Jr., in '64, and daughter Betty, who rounded out the happy family in 1965. After Betty was born, Dot decided to find a job, to help feed five hungry kids, and went to work at Howmet Corporation in Whitehall. She loved it there, where she made so many friends, and stayed 33 years, until she retired in 1993. Dot never let the job interfere with her family, of course, and was very involved in the kids' Muskegon Heights schools, in addition to family fishing trips and reunions. Every Sunday the Artlips went to Ervin's parents' home for dinner, a beloved family ritual. In 1972, the family sold their home in Muskegon and moved north to Montague, at 7933 Old Channel Trail. Dot loved that home dearly, and finally got the "big garden," she always dreamed of. The days at that home were such great times in Dot's life, full of gardening, fishing, and her growing family. They had their ups and downs every family faces, but Dot was so content with her life. She always loved to cook, and when they moved to Montague, she took over the Sunday dinner ritual, making a feast each week for her family to enjoy after the Lions game on TV. In 1977, Dot went back to school, and proudly earned her GED, just as her children were graduating, too. Dot was always so proud that all of her children graduated; each one from Montague High School. In 1980, Ervin began developing health problems and had heart bypass surgery, and again in 1981. Sadly, Ervin died suddenly in 1985, and the family was understandably devastated. Somehow, through Dot's strength and love, they persevered, another hurdle she helped them clear. And while Dot was alone for the first time in her life, love would soon find her again. Dot's daughters, Betty and Maxine, had married two of six McGarry brothers, Clarence and Pat. This is how Dorothy came to meet a third brother Michael. With Dorothy widowed and Michael divorced their longtime close friendship became love, and the two were married on July 13, 1989 - Friday the 13th. That day was such good luck for both of them, however, as they began many wonderful years together. The McGarrys and the Artlips were very close and did much together over the years, with plenty of parties, barbecues, and get-togethers. In 1990, Mike's daughter and son, 5-year-old Ann and 3-year-old David, came to live with Dot and Mike. Together, Dot and Mike raised the kids to adulthood, and they became like Dot's own. She was so proud of both of the kids, and loved them so dearly; they were truly her second family. They had their ups and downs with the kids, of course, but Dot enjoyed her life immensely, filled with so much family, 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, too. In 1991, Dot and Mike bought a new home at 3024 W. Skeels Road, but their true "home," they would buy in 2000, when they built a cabin in the Upper Peninsula town of Paradise, Michigan. That was such a special place to Dot, truly "heaven," with 10 quiet acres where she enjoyed long walks, fishing, hunting, cooking, and the quiet solitude. Dot enjoyed being in nature and seeing all the wildlife there, including bear, moose, deer, brook trout, and the multitude of birds visiting her feeders. In 2005, Mike tore down that house on Skeels and built a bigger, better one on the same spot for his beloved Dorothy. She had been battling health problems, having bravely fought breast cancer in 1993, undergoing chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, and in 2003 she had surgery for lung cancer. Sadly, in 2006 she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and died in her beloved Mike's arms on January 1, 2007. Dot was a wonderful woman, such a loving, generous and fun-loving woman, who devoted her life to caring for the family who meant so much to her. She was a woman with a strong will, a tireless work ethic, and a limitless love for those around her. Today her life, and her love, lives on in the family who meant everything to her. Surviving are her husband, Michael; 4 sons, Ralph Artlip of Montague, Ervin (Brenda) Artlip, Jr.of Grand Rapids, Blake Artlip of Virginia & David McGarry of Jackson, MI; 3 daughters, Maxine (Pat) McGarry of Muskegon, Betty Artlip of Muskegon, Ann (Josh) Rance of South Carolina; 12 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; mother-in-law, Marjorie (Noah) Sutherton of Ravenna; 4 brothers, Milt (Jan) Reed of North Carolina, Bill (Barb) Reed of Arizona, Bob (Patty) Reed of Hawaii & Russ (Vicki) Reed of Ann Arbor; several nieces & nephews. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ervin Artlip, Sr. and her sister, Mary Tyler. Services are Saturday, January 6, 2007, 11:00 AM at Clock Chapel- Muskegon with Pastor Terry Williams officiating. Interment at Sunrise Memorial Gardens. Visitation is scheduled for Friday, 5-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army. To leave a memory of Dot, upload a photo or sign the online guestbook, visit her Memory Page at www.lifestorynet.com.