Dorothy L. Beggs

Dorothy L. Beggs, 92, devoted wife, beloved mother, and women’s rights advocate passed away in Parsippany, New Jersey on May 3, 2015.  A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming, she was predeceased by her husband, Ferrell J. Beggs of Elk City, Kansas, parents, Harold W. and Helen Nelson and brother, Bruce Nelson of Cheyenne, Wyoming. “Dee” is survived by her children, Bruce Beggs, Cynthia Parisi, (Joseph), Patricia Millar, (Bob), Mark Beggs, (Laura), and treasured grandchildren Elise Parisi, Haley, Leah, and Brian Beggs.

Dee graduated from Colorado Women’s College where she majored in business and music, was an avid equestrian and played on the basketball team. She met husband, Ferrell, while working at the engineering office of Union Pacific Railroad. 

Dee found her true calling championing the ordination of women within the Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Southern Ohio and Western Michigan. She served on the Council of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, at Grace Episcopal Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, as a delegate to the Southern Ohio General Convention, Women in Holy Orders, The Episcopal Women’s Caucus, The Board of Church Periodicals Club, Women of Mission and Ministry Committee, and as an active member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Cascade. She helped resurrect the layette project, Operation Stork, at St. Mark’s Church with Blodgett Memorial Medical Center in support of needy mothers in Grand Rapids.     

She will be remembered most by the love she had for her family, her deep faith, intelligence, grace, beauty, leadership, and devotion to empowering women and campaigning for social justice by helping those less fortunate through her philanthropic work.

A graveside service will be held on May 12 at 3:00 pm at Cascade Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Charitable contributions may be made in her honor at The Episcopal Women’s Caucus www.Episcopalwomenscaucus.org 

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