Dorothy Lucille Merchant Brichta, grandmother of the Burley Family in West Liberty, Ohio, passes away May 27, 2010. She was born in Detroit, Michigan June 28, 1919 to the late Daniel and Anna Merchant. On June 17, 1944, she married Donald Edward Brichta and he preceded her in death. A son Daniel Edward Brichta also preceded her in death
She is survived by a daughter Donna Ann Rose Brichta Burley married to Phillip William Burley; grandchildren – Donald and Sarah Burley of Sidney, Ohio; Sabrina and Nathan Wilson of Sierra Vista, Arizona; Tina and Aaron Coventry of Denison, Ohio; Angela Archer of Marysville, Ohio; Katie Burley of Bellefontaine, Ohio; Krissy and Timmy Noel of Phoenix, Arizona; Dayna and Greg Harhay of Nebraska and Daniel Brichta of Dallas, Texas; great-grandson Roman Archer of Marysville, Ohio.
Dorothy was a song writer, producer and publisher. She also was a puppeteer for a children’s environmental program that she founded in 1972. She did puppet shows and educational programs called POI POP (Pull Out Impurities and Push Out Pollution) for schools in Ohio and Michigan, educating children on being green, recycling and earth beautification until 1995. She was founder of Our Newer World Corporation through the Audubon Society. She owned and operated Nitro Music Publishing and Recording Company from 1958 to present.
Dorothy was an All-Star bowler, winning many local and national titles in single and team events. She was inducted into the WBC Women’s Hall of Fame Star of Yesteryear and her bust is on display at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
She was a loving, caring and very talented individual who touched many lives and brought forth extreme joy to her family and friends. She never knew a stranger and had a sense of contagious joy at all times. She loved the Lord with all her heart and strived to serve Him continuously. She made this world a better place to live. We know in our hearts that when she arrived at Heaven’s gates the Lord must have said “well done good and faithful servant, well done”. She will be missed but never forgotten. May the Lord Jesus Christ be greatly praised for the precious woman we called mother and grandmother.
A celebration of life service will be conducted by Pastor Don Burley Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 3:00 P.M. with visitation two hours prior at the Kauffman-Eichholtz Funeral Home in West Liberty. The burial Service will be held Tuesday, June 1 at the Mt.Olivet Cemetery in Michigan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pemberton United Methodist Church Youth Camp Fund.