Dorothy Elizabeth Strange, age 74, passed away peacefully at Houston Hospice on Friday, September 27, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Born on December 4, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois to Richard and Elizabeth Poprawski, who preceded her in death. Dorothy was the oldest of thirteen children and grew up in a humble home converted into a five-bedroom house.

She graduated from Carmel Catholic High School. After graduation, Dorothy joined the Navy to become a nurse. During her time serving, she met Ronald Strange in Corpus Christi while caring for him in the hospital after he was wounded in the Vietnam War. They married in 1969 and moved to Houston, Texas where they started their family of five children.

After leaving the service, she earned her welders certificate and worked for Arco and Grumman. Dorothy and Ronald separated, and she joined the Hope Village to become a housemother where she helped individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After her time there, she accepted a position with Health and Human Services where she retired.

She spent over 30 years on her Magnolia property, relishing the tranquility of the outdoors. As her health declined, she moved in the Village on the Park in Friendswood. Though her time there was brief, she cherished the camaraderie of her breakfast table friends.

As a child, she loved visiting the beach and horseback riding. Her passions shifted to swimming and water aerobics as she grew older. She also enjoyed collecting Angel and Indian figurines where she displayed them in her home. She loved to watch movies and shows; you couldn't ask her about a show without her giving you spoilers.

Her favorite time of the year was Thanksgiving and Christmas, because she knew she was going to enjoy homemade tamales from the Rodriguez family. If her health would let her, she always loved to spend time at the Rodriguez & Rios gatherings.

Dorothy is survived by her five children, Matt, Beth, Denise, Ronnie, & Peter. She had twenty-two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Richard, Mark, John, Phillip, Anna, & Lisa. Her predeceased siblings are Lucy, Bryan, Kim, Tony, Joey, & Vickie.