Obituaries

Dolores Marcella (Gordon) Henderson passed away peacefully on Friday, May 22, 2026, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, surrounded by family.

Dolores (Dorie to her friends and family) was born on October 5, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan, to Andrew and Agnes Gordon. She and her family moved to Petersburg, Michigan, during her childhood for her father’s business, where she and her brother, Ted, spent their days running wild through the orchards and fields.

Dorie attended St. Mary’s Academy for Girls in Monroe, Michigan. Following graduation, she attended the University of Detroit as a music performance major. It was there that she met Pat Henderson. After graduation, Dorie and Pat married and together they had eight children. She shared her love of music with her family, introducing them to everything from classical music to Ian and Sylvia, the Moody Blues, and Led Zeppelin. Dorie taught band classes at Holy Name Catholic School and was a longtime organist for St. Anne and St. Thomas churches in Escanaba, Michigan.

Dorie had a passion for art of all types. She built her own pottery studio, Ford River Pottery and Herb Gardens, where she created and sold her work from her home studio and at art fairs all around the Upper Peninsula. She was an award-winning fiber artist and also painted in oil, acrylic and watercolor. Her interest in metalworking even led her to take welding classes.

Dorie was also a 4-H leader and guided a group of girls to regional and statewide awards for marionette performances of The Shoemaker and the Elves and The Taming of the Fu, both based on her original scripts.

Dorie was an active member of the Bonifas Fine Arts Center and a founding member of the East Ludington Gallery.

In 1983, she moved from Escanaba to Marquette to pursue a master’s degree in social work at Northern Michigan University.

Dorie always had an exceptional green thumb and a gift for gardening. While attending NMU, she offered to care for the struggling atrium plants at the local Big Boy in exchange for unlimited coffee to fuel her studies. Before long, the atrium became known as a lush, green oasis where Dorie could always be found surrounded by books and emptied coffee creamer mini moos.

Following graduation, she practiced in Menominee, Michigan, as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, divorce mediator, and crisis line counselor, drawing from her own life experiences to help women navigate difficult transitions.

Dorie possessed a sharp intellect and loved engaging in deep political and philosophical discussions. She continued sharing her unique theories and advice with her children until just days before her passing. She also instilled in them the desire to reach higher, the freedom to pursue their dreams, and the belief that they could accomplish anything. She often said, “One of my kids is going to discover a cure for cancer,” and indeed, one of her grandsons is a research scientist working toward a cure for childhood cancers. Good job, Mom!

Dorie is survived by her children, Pat (Jenna) Henderson Jr, Laura (Ray) Volk, Catherine Veraghen, Christine (Jay) Webert, Julie Henderson, Jeanne (Matt) Bigge, and Gael (John) Eschelweck; twelve grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Dorie was preceded in death by her daughter, Elizabeth; granddaughter, Erin; parents, Andrew and Agnes; brother, Ted; and her former spouse, Pat.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at St. Anne’s Church, 817 S Lincoln Rd. Escanaba, MI 49829.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in Dorie’s honor to the Bonifas Fine Arts Center, 700 1st Ave. S., Escanaba, MI 49829.

Family Life Funeral Homes – Sault Ste. Marie assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be given to the family at www.familylifefh.com.