Dorthie "Dee" Lea Yurovich - Carlson's Obituary - Janesville, WI

In memory of

Dorthie "Dee" Lea Yurovich - Carlson

Janesville, WI

March 5, 1960 - April 30, 2023

Mar 5, 1960 - Apr 30, 2023

Help keep everyone in the know by sharing this memorial website.

Share

Photo

Dorthie “Dee” Leah Yurovich Carlson, age 63, of Janesville, WI, passed away April 30, 2023. She was born March 5, 1960, in Lorain, OH, and graduated from Vermillion High School in 1978 in the Decca program.

As a youngster, she picked blueberries at Haber’s farm with her sisters and neighbors, then headed to the Sun Fun (YMCA) afterward to spend the rest of the day at the pool, swimming and playing four-square. She was known as a tomboy and loved to climb trees, ride bikes and explore. As an 8th grader she traveled to France with the French club and got to meet her mother Irene’s extended family. She enjoyed working at Romp’s Putt-Putt and the Candy Shop in Vermilion. She loved casual winter sports, sledding, ice-skating on the pond that the firemen filled up for us, and even skied a little. One of her favorite places was Mill Hollow.

Dorthie's spiritual side was deep and she questioned everything. She believed in the power of "The Secret" and loved nature, the earth, and all its creatures - especially her first dog, Pompi, and her other dogs Bella and Dorphin. She was a friend to several birds, including a dove and a hummingbird, and was connected to nature in a way that most people can only imagine.

Dorthie was a being of artistic creativity and love- she was known for her incredibly diverse talents and created masterfully with all types of mediums, including (but certainly not limited to!) painting, sculptures, clothing, dream catchers, bird houses, wood, poetry, gardening, humor (she was known for telling some good adult jokes!) and food (she was a fantastic cook when the kitchen timer was set!) As she would often say "anything worth doing is worth over-doing" and her gifts of art to others displayed her love and thoughtfulness .

As with many others, Dorthie struggled against mental illness including depression, anxiety, and tried many times to overcome substance use. Although the darkness was always present, and as her father Bill used to say, she maintained "a heart of gold" and would give someone her last dollar if they needed it. She volunteered with NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) and other organizations to help others understand mental illness and help those who were hurting. During the good times, it was obvious that Dorthie loved her friends and family and would go to great lengths to let them know that she cared for them deeply. She especially loved her four children and her parents, and only wanted the best for them. She would want all of her friends to know that she loved them and appreciated having them in her life. In Dorthie's passing, we find comfort that her mind is at peace and that she is with those whom she loved.

She is survived by her children- Leif, Hunter, and Lindsey Carlson, and sister- Deborah Berlekamp (Yurovich) and of course all of her friends and extended family. She is preceded in death by her daughter- Whitney Carlson, her parents- William and Irene (Gutowska) Yurovich, and her sister- Beatrice Yurovich.

An informal celebration of life will be held at Indianford County Park in Indianford, WI on June 21, 2023 from 10am–12pm. We welcome those that knew her to join us in celebrating her life in conjunction with the summer solstice.

An original poem written by our beloved mother, sister and friend Dorthie

"Untitled"

There must be others like me

who are never satisfied

with basic life’s instructions,

oh spirit, you know I’ve tried.

The emptiness inside me

is not leading anywhere.

But, if I could, I’d put a road

where no one else would dare.

Life’s long unanswered questions

would not be the surface things.