WILLIS, Dorothy (Dotti)

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Thursday, May 26, 2010 Dorothy "Dotti" Willis was born of tough German-Russian stock on the front range of the Rocky Mountains in Windsor, Colo., on Sept. 27, 1928, to Benjamin F. and Rebecca (Lorenz) Socolofsky. She passed away peacefully in Prescott, Ariz., with her loving family by her side on May 23, 2010. Dotti was a fun-loving, energetic and caring wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend who loved her family deeply and loved spending time with them whenever they could all get together. She graduated from Van Nuys, Calif., High School in 1946, attended the University of New Mexico and worked at the Grand Canyon in the dining room of the Bright Angel Lodge during the summers of 1949 and '50. She is believed to be one of the last surviving "Harvey Girls" who worked in the hospitality industry along the AT&SF Railroad between Chicago and Los Angeles. She met Guy C. Willis while attending UNM and they married on Dec. 30, 1950. They lived initially in Albuquerque, N.M., and eventually moved to their long-time home in Livermore, Calif., where they raised their three children, Michael Lorenz (deceased Oct. 18, 1972), David Robinson of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Rebecca Annette of Prescott. She is survived by her beloved daughter-in-law, Julie, and her beloved grandsons, Michael and Daniel. She is also survived by first cousins Betty O'Brien of Monarch Beach, Calif., and John Lewis Scott of Winslow, Ariz., and numerous loving nieces and nephews throughout the west. Dotti, a florist, and husband Guy retired and moved to Gold Canyon, Ariz., where they resided until 2004, and then made their final move to Prescott. In recent years, Dotti enjoyed serving as the "Queen Mum" with the neighborhood Red Hats group, "The Shady Ladies of Granite Oaks." She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. At Dotti's request, there will be no public service. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to a favorite charity in her memory. Services entrusted to Sunrise Funeral Home. Information provided by survivors.