WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Esther Mae Dodson, 94, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Friday morning, March 20, 2009, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis.
She was born March 4, 1915, in Spring City, Tenn., a daughter to the late Joseph and Almedia (Loden) Collins and raised by Annie and Schyler Gilkison in Findley, Mich.
Esther attended school in Colon, Mich., and Spring City, Tenn.
On May 19, 1931, she married her childhood sweetheart Claude R. Dodson in Spring City, Tenn. He died Dec. 21, 1978.
She and Claude had a family of 10 children – six sons and four daughters. Esther was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.
She loved dolls and angels and time spent with her family. Her fine southern cooking will be forever missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by three daughters, Eula Mae (Harold) Cornish of Three Rivers, Janet Maxine Hagelgans of Sturgis and Linda Sue (Mike) Hogan of Bronson; two sons, Allen Thomas (Mary Lou) Dodson of Union City and Robert Lee (Vickie) Dodson of White Pigeon; 34 grandchildren; 83 great-grandchildren; 16 great-great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Phyllis Dodson of White Pigeon; and sister-in-law, Margaret Dodson of Defiance, Ohio.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Almedia Collins; special parents, Annie and Schyler Gilkison; husband; four sons, Carl Franklin Dodson, William “Bill” Claude Dodson, Harold Dean Dodson and Burton Dodson; one daughter, Margie Ann Tullos; granddaughters, Billie Ann McKinley, Jaymie Marie Cornish and Carla Jean Robison; grandson, Allen Lynn Dodson; great-grandson Justin Barnell; daughter-in-law, Sally Dodson and infant brother, Verdon Robert Collins.
The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis, MI 49091. Funeral services celebrating the life of Esther Mae Dodson will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. A graveside committal will follow the service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis.
Memorial donations would be appreciated to the family to help with expenses c/o: Eula Cornish, 18330 M-60, Three Rivers, MI 49093. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
