Elaine May Dotseth's Obituary
Elaine Mary Burke was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 29, 1923 to Martha Brickner Burke. She
grew up in the Oak Park, Chicago area and went to school there.
Elaine entered the Women’s Army Corps and basic training was at Camp Oglethorpe, Chickamauga, Georgia. She was the first WAC stationed at Vaughan General Hospital near Chicago working as a clerk/typist., which is where she met her knight in shining armor, Master Sergeant Joseph Dotseth who was one of the first patients at the new Army Hospital. He had been injured in Italy during WWII. They married in the chapel at Vaughan General Hospital and later moved to Joe’s hometown in Knapp, Wisconsin where she became a farmer's wife, across the road from Joe's parents. They had three boys, Gary, Ronnie, and Marc. Because of Joe's health, they moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1955. Joe joined the Tucson Police Department and Elaine was a housewife. Later she became a partner at Adair Realty. She also worked for Peat Marwick & Mitchell accounting firm. Eventually, she took a job at the Tucson Water Department where she retired after many years.
In the later 1960's and early 1970's, her three sons joined the US Navy and served in the Viet Nam
conflict, and thankfully they all returned safely back home.
Elaine was predeceased by her husband Joe Dotseth in 1986, son Gary Dotseth in 2013, mother Martha Piazza and stepfather Philip Piazza, and sister Terry Matusak. She leaves behind son Ronald Dotseth (Betty), Wausau, Wisconsin, and Marc Dotseth (Deborah), Tucson, Arizona; granddaughters Tamara (John) Connolly, Parker, Colorado, Donna (Patrick) Fischer, Marana, AZ; Grandchildren, Zachary Dotseth, Tucson AZ; Kari (Chris) Mueller, Oshkosh WI; Amanda Dotseth (Ryan Kovar), Dallas TX, and many great grandchildren.
Many thanks to the staff at Agave Hills, the assisted living facility, for their great care during her final
years.
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