Died August 12, 2012 LAKE LEELANAU – Dorothy Alice Belanger, 91, of Lake Leelanau passed away Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012 at the Munson Hospice House surrounded by her loving family.

Dorothy was born Jan. 6, 1921 in Lake Leelanau the daughter of Fred and Clara (Bussey) DeNoyer. On April 13th 1937 at St. Mary’s Church of Lake Leelanau she married Germain Joseph Belanger who preceded her in death on Oct. 21, 2002. She was a lady of faith who deeply loved her family.

Dorothy is survived by eight children, Linus (Marcella) Belanger, Jean (Ron) Markham, Bill (Sandra) Belanger, Phyllis (Bob) Drow, Jackie (William) Pertner, Linda (Don) Morton, Susan (Stan) Allington, Donna (Danny) Hughes; a brother, Leonard DeNoyer, a sister, Irma Mallion; twenty nine grandchildren, forty nine great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her sons-in-law, Ron Markham and William Pertner, and by nine brothers and seven sisters.

Dorothy raised five of her eight children alone while Germain served in WWII.

She cleaned homes for money and then would come home and clean her own house, it didn’t matter how late. Dorothy never complained about anything and never spent a day laying down sick.

She was a member of the St. Mary’s Altar Society. Dorothy volunteered for church chicken dinners. She would bake pies the Saturday before the chicken dinner and then show up at 5 am the day of and start peeling bushels of potatoes.

Dorothy was a charter member of the Little Finger Post 7731 Ladies Auxiliary.

She loved her needlework and especially her gardening. She would gather items from her garden and then can vegetables until midnight. Dorothy’s dill pickles were the best and the recipe has been passed down to her grandchildren.

Dorothy ate green onions like they were apples; she had one every day of her life for breakfast including the day before she passed away.

In her later years she spent many hours praying for her kids and grandkids. Dorothy prayed the Rosary every night before going to bed.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Wednesday, Aug. 15 with the Rosary to be prayed at 8 pm at the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay. The mass will be held at 11 am on Thursday, Aug. 16 at St. Mary’s Church of Lake Leelanau. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. The Rev. Michael Janowski will serve as celebrant.

Donations may be directed to St. Mary’s School, PO Box 340, Lake Leelanau, MI, 49653 and/or Mass Intentions.

Please share thoughts and memories with Dorothy’s family on their online guestbook at www.record-eagle.com/ obituaries/

Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.