DOROTHY MAE KOPY

Dorothy Mae Kopy, 71, died peacefully at Valley Hospital on May 9, 2001.

Mrs. Kopy was born March 6, 1930, the second daughter of Joseph and Nettie Florick in Roosevelt, N.Y. She graduated in 1950 from Hempstead High, Hempstead, N.Y.

She married John Kopy in 1953 and worked as a nurse's aide. Mrs. Kopy lived in New York with her family until 1970, when they came up the Alcan to Alaska. This is where she made her home — first in Anchorage, and the last 2 1-2 years at Colony Estates in beautiful Palmer.

Mrs. Kopy was retired from the Hotel, Restaurant Workers Union where she worked as a housekeeper at the Inlet Inn Hotel. She was a volunteer for eight years with the senior companion program in Anchorage. Her greatest joy was to help others, which she did in so many ways.

She was a member of the Worldwide Church of God for almost 30 years, where she found her faith and love for Christ and a host of wonderful friends.

Her family wrote: "Dorothy's hobbies were her extended family, old movies and answering radio trivia questions. She became a local celebrity on the radio as "Dorothy, Older Than Dirt," for her uncanny ability to know all sorts of things no one else would remember. She also loved to travel and a highlight of her life was visiting Scotland and England twice.

"She always found the humor in any situation and saw the best in people. Her jokes were legendary. Even when she was in the hospital with various health problems, she managed to cheer up those who visited her with her funny sayings."

Mrs. Kopy is survived by her husband, John Kopy; sister, Audrey Cito; brother, David Florick; sons, Stephen and Daniel E. Kopy; daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Terrance Krueger and Hella and Jack David; beloved grandchildren, Christopher and Jacie Kopy, Daniel M., Joseph, Rachell, Tami, Linda and Carolyn Kopy, William, Emily, Jennifer and Dorothy Norris, Gavin, Stuart and Gordon Krueger; her wonderful great-grandsons, Christopher Jules Kopy and Andrew James Norris; and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her niece, Catherine Kane; daughter-in-law, Diane Kopy; brother, Joseph Florick, Jr.; sister, Delia Kane; and parents, Joseph and Nettie Florick.

Visitation will be at Kehl's Palmer Mortuary in Palmer on Thursday, May 17, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Burial service will be Friday, May 18, at 10 a.m., at Fort Richardson cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at noon, Friday, at Gospel Outreach, 4800 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy., Wasilla.

Donations may be made in memory of Mrs. Kopy to the Palmer Senior Center, 920 S. Chugach St., Palmer, AK 99645.