Dorothy L. Locke, a retired community leader and volunteer, quietly passed on December 7, 2020, in Citrus Heights, Calif., after a long illness. She was a mother of seven, grandmother to six and great grandmother to three. Throughout her life, she was a guiding light and strong supporter as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, active volunteer and friend.
Dorothy was born in Detroit, Mich., to William Leon and Amelia Mary (Jbara) O’Bryan. The eldest daughter of eight, she had four brothers and three sisters. She graduated from All Saints High School in Detroit, Mich. She met her husband, Harry “Bud” Locke, in 1949 and married in 1950. They celebrated 57 years of marriage before Bud passed in 2007.
With Bud in the Air Force, Dorothy traveled around the United States and Japan. She spent time in California, Montana, Northern Michigan and Texas before the family retired in Vacaville, Calif. After her husband’s retirement, Dorothy enjoyed golfing with him at clubs throughout California and Hawaii, playing bridge with her friends and visiting with her grandchildren.
A leader at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Dorothy was active in the choir, taught and directed the catechism education program, led the Women’s Club, worked at the Food Bank, participated in the Diocesan Women’s Group Leadership Team and worked on the Leadership Council. Her volunteer work in the community included projects with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), President of the Parent Teachers Association Council, President of the School Board. As PTA Council President, Dorothy took on city hall to stop merchants from selling cigarettes to teens during the 1970’s.
Her community work included serving on the Vacaville Mayor’s Commission on Aging, representing the city on Solano County’s In Home Support Services board, being a founding member of the Tribute to Seniors, and developing the first Solano County Senior Resource Guide. Dorothy received many honors for her volunteer work including Outstanding Senior in 2001, Best Senior Citizen in 2005 and a memory care unit named “The Dorothy Locke House.”
Dorothy is survived by five of her seven children, Janis Saxon and husband, Jim of Orangevale, Calif., Jeanne Alford of South Sacramento, Calif., John Locke and wife, Teresa of Burnsville, Minn., Mary Tappe of Wheatridge, Col., and Robert Locke of New York City; sister, Carol Lennis of Detroit, Mich. And brother, Roger O’Bryan and wife Marlene, of Ponte Vedra, Fla. grandchildren, Jim Tappe, Erika (Tappe) Stevens, Michael Saxon, Chris Alford, Tom Locke and Will Locke; and great grandchildren, Jameson Alford, Calvin Locke and Judah Stevens.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Harry “Bud” Locke (Lt. Col. Retired), her eldest son, James Michael Locke, and her eldest daughter, Patricia Lynn Locke.
A memorial service will be held on January 6, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Price Funeral Chapel, 6335 Sunrise Blvd., Citrus Heights, Calif., with a graveside blessing immediately following at the Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery, 522 Elmira Rd., Vacaville.
A web page dedicated to Dorothy will be on the Price Funeral Chapel website. Because of pandemic restrictions which limits in-person participation, the family has arranged for a livestream of the memorial service. Visitors can leave condolences, share memories and access the link for the livestream memorial service from Dorothy’s memorial page (www.pricefuneralchapel.com).
In lieu of flowers or other memorial gifts, the family requests that donations be made in Dorothy’s name to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org).
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