Dorothy Josephine Byers

Dorothy J. Byers, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died on January 12, 2021 after a ten-month battle that began with an ear infection and progressed into a serious illness. Dorothy's medical care was compromised due to government officials declaring her medical situation to be non-essential and limiting access to her physicians and family, who were frustrated in their efforts to assist her by not being able to see her in care facilities for many months. Despite the effects of these cruel, thoughtless, and unfounded regulations, Dorothy had a desire to live and fought the illness to the end, displaying the strong will and spirit that characterized her life.
Dorothy was born in Homewood, Illinois on August 8, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Charles and Josephine Flickinger, niece of Mary Ann Meagher—her beloved "Aunt Mame," and sister of the late Edward Flickinger, Thomas Flickinger, Ruth Dykstra, Rosemary Dudek, and Robert Flickinger. As a child, Dorothy displayed the outgoing and friendly personality she was known for throughout her life. Her childhood nickname was Pinky (due to her rosy pink completion and fair hair), and Win, (short for Winnie), and her friends in HS called her "Dot" and "Flick". Her love affair for dogs began at an early age, bringing home countless strays during her childhood. Dorothy enjoyed growing up surrounded by family and friends in suburban Chicago in the 1940s and 1950s and was a 1956 graduate of Thornton High School. Dorothy studied at Northern Illinois University for a year after high school and then moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1958 to be near her parents who had retired to Van Buren County, Michigan on Scott Lake.

In her twenties, Dorothy enjoyed being single and spending time with friends while living and working in Kalamazoo. She was an avid bowler on many leagues and enjoyed many good times at Airway Lanes. Dorothy loved cars and regaled in memories of many escapades in her red Ford Thunderbird convertible. She also enjoyed skiing and travel during these years. Dorothy was an independent woman who was ahead of her time, working in many offices and was involved in the early use of computers as a data entry operator while employed at Waterlift and also at Western Michigan University. In the late 1960s, she met and later married Richard Byers. They had three children: Margery, Andrew and Juliet.

The family lived in Paw Paw until 1976 when they built a house on a branch of the Paw Paw River (Antwerp Township) where the kids attended Mattawan Schools. During this time Dorothy successfully balanced working full-time as an expeditor at Clark Equipment Company in Oshtemo while raising her family. Over these years, she also enjoyed visiting with her father and sister Rosemary and beloved nieces.

Dorothy revolved her life around her children, enriching their lives with many activities. Being an avid reader, Dorothy took the kids to the library almost every weekend, enjoyed summer concerts with the Kalamazoo Symphony, Broadway plays at Miller Auditorium as well as many weekend afternoons at the beach in South Haven. She loved going to the movies, camping and took them on many vacations around the Midwest, Atlantic region and the South. She shared with them her life-long pleasure of culture and the arts, reading and learning new things and travel. She was highly intelligent, a wordsmith and had an amazing gift of language and writing and possessed a keen knowledge of history. She was a life-long learner, constantly reinventing herself in the face of challenge and she emphasized upon her children the importance of education. Though Dorothy was a fun mom who did not have many rules, she always took care of her children and she and Richard modeled the importance of a strong work ethic, being self-sufficient, attaining higher education, independence, and thinking for yourself.

In the early 1980's, Dorothy and Richard's marriage had run its course and they divorced. Dorothy continued to focus on raising her family and earning a living. In the late 1980s, when her children were older, Dorothy decided to resume her college education and in 1990 earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education and English from Western Michigan University. Dorothy taught junior high and High School English, including teaching overseas at American Schools in Taiwan and Thailand. While living in Southeast Asia, Dorothy continued her love of seeing new places including trips to New Zealand, Australia, Phuket Islands, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. She rode around on a bright pink motorbike she had purchased while living there, exploring the mountainous and rural regions of Taiwan. After this adventure, Dorothy returned to the United States and taught Journalism in Palm Springs, California before returning to Kalamazoo in the late 1990s. She also traveled to England and Ireland with sister Ruth to visit the family county of origin, County Cork Ireland.

With her children being grown and no longer living in Southwest Michigan, Dorothy embarked on a new phase and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 2000 where she enjoyed living near Margery. Now in her sixties, Dorothy continued to be active and enjoyed working in different industries (Fifth Third Bank, Social Security Administration of Cincinnati, Walmart, & Green Thumb) and resided in Norwood, Oakley, and Hyde Park. She chose to work well into her 70s and spent the last 10 years living at Cambridge Arms Senior Apartments where she made many friends. She rekindled her love of dogs and spent happy times with her beloved canine companions Abby, Daisy, Darcy, Jasper, Brandi, and Cricket during these years. Dorothy was a proud grandma to grandson Jaxson Shupe, grandson Declan Weaver and granddaughter Brooke Weaver.

Living to age 82, Dorothy experienced many seasons of life where she displayed her resiliency and positive attitude. She made fast friends wherever she went with her colorful spirit, humor and kindness. She was a great mom who encouraged her children throughout their lives. Always believing in the possibilities of the future while living in the moment, she added color and fun to the lives of those who cared about her. She leaves us with many fun memories, she was much loved and will be greatly missed.

Dorothy is survived by three children and their spouses: Margery J. (Ted Klems) Shupe-Klems, Andrew R. Byers, and Juliet R. (Dean) Weaver. And Grandchildren Jaxson Shupe, Declan and Brooke Weaver, and a host of Nieces and Nephews and Cousins. A celebration of Dorothy's life will be held in the late Spring/Early Summer with internment at the family burial plot at Arlington Hill Cemetery, South Haven Michigan.


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