Dorothy Lou Rushton

Dorothy Rushton (“Dottie” or “Dot” to many who knew and loved her) was born on August 16, 1928, in the tiny, rural town of Fillmore, Utah, to Ira Lyman and Myrtle Stowe. She was the fifth of eight children. Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, Dottie was a talented and creative child who enjoyed dancing and performing vocal duets with her sister Gladys at church and community events. Money for costumes was in short supply, so they created matching dresses made of crepe paper for each performance!

In her late teens, Dottie left her small town and headed to the “big city” of Salt Lake. Dottie had a knack for fashion, and she was inspired by clothing designs from high-end retailers and fashion magazines. She was always dressed to the nines! Later, Dottie would use those talents to create stunning wardrobes for her daughters, Cynthia and Patti.

During the summer of 1946, Dottie met the love of her life while working as a car hop at Fred & Kelly’s. When Richard (Dick) Glen Rushton pulled up in his shiny, immaculate car to order lunch, he was immediately smitten, and Dottie was impressed by her charming, handsome customer, who told her he wanted to take her out on the town. Accustomed to flirtatious patrons, she turned him down. He showed up to order lunch every day afterwards until she finally agreed to go out with him. It was the beginning of an epic romance, and they married on September 19, 1946. Their deep love for each other was steadfast, and they celebrated their 50th anniversary in the autumn before his death in December of 1996.

Dottie’s artistic ability had no bounds. She taught herself to play the organ, piano, and accordion, and could play just about any tune by ear. She passed on a legacy of love for music to her daughter Patti, as well as her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, many of whom play musical instruments. Grandson Danny and great-grandson Sam even perform in local bands! Dottie was a talented tole painter and created beautiful beadwork lamps. Later in life, Dottie was also well-known for her crocheted dishcloths, which she shared with everyone she knew, including friends, neighbors, and even the folks who delivered her groceries.

Dick and Dottie enjoyed traveling and camping in their RVs, and they spent many happy summers at Ogden Boat Club with friends and family. Throughout the years, Dottie decorated every motorhome and fifth-wheel to create beautiful homes-away-from-home. While Dick went fishing, hunting, and boating, Dottie chatted and played cards with her sisters and friends. Camping didn’t mean she had to “rough it!”

Dottie’s three grandchildren, Catherine, Libby, and Danny, were the lights of her life, and she spent many hours playing with them. She was always eager to host sleep-overs, and let them build elaborate tent forts all over her living room. She taught them to crochet, spent hours helping them complete jigsaw puzzles, and advised them on all the best strategies for card games. Christmastime was the highlight of the year, as Dottie wrapped every package in beautiful foil paper with exquisite ribbons. Once the tree and presents were in place, she called the grandkids to visit so they could shake each package and lie under the white, flocked tree, looking up through the branches at its shiny glass ornaments. Dottie set a beautiful Christmas
dinner table and always included her signature drink, Sprite with red ice cubes in a fancy goblet.

Baseball was one of Dottie’s greatest loves. She loved the Yankees of the 50s and 60s, the era of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Later, she picked a favorite team every year to follow for the World Series. Dottie also loved watching her niece Linda's sons play amateur games. In her last year of life, she stayed up until 1 a.m. to see the end of Game 3 of the World Series.

Dottie is survived by her two daughters, Cynthia Rees and Patti Rushton, grandchildren Catherine (Hal) Armstrong, Libby (Mitch) Monson, and Daniel Richard Rushton, as well as six great-grandsons (Conley, Jordan, Sam, Nathan, and Eli), and one great-granddaughter (Abigail). She is also survived by two siblings, Wade “Tex” (Ivana) Stowe, and Genea West.

Thanks to the loving care of her daughters, Dottie was able to live independently until the last few months of her life. Her family is also grateful for the care provided by Utah Home Health and Hospice and Monument Health.

A celebration of Dottie’s life will be held at a later date.