Irene S. Dorman

Irene S. Dorman, mother, sister, aunt and friend died peacefully on September 21, 2012. Irene was born on February 11, 1916 to John and Mary Straka in Buffalo, New York, where they lived for two years after Irene was born. In 1918, the family moved to Redlands, California. At age 14, Irene entered Loma Linda University and graduated as an RN in 1936. After her graduation, Irene worked as a nurse in several places in California and met her husband, Leonard Dorman Sr. in Santa Monica, California. They moved to the San Fernando Valley where they ran a chicken ranch and had two sons, Leonard Jr., and Fredrick.
In 1957 the family moved to Garden Grove, California and Irene retired from nursing to raise her sons. They moved to Orange, California in 1959 and then to Grants Pass, Oregon in 1971 where Irene again took up nursing. In 1985 they moved to Roseburg, Oregon. Irene's husband Leonard Sr. died that year.
Irene was a dedicated and caring nurse, she loved music, and played the piano beautifully almost her entire life. She loved to garden, and was an excellent cook, always choosing fresh, healthy ingredients to produce delicious meals. One of Irene's favorite things to do was to get on the riding lawn mower and mow part of the five acre piece of land on which they lived in Melrose, which she continued to do well into her nineties. Most importantly though, she was loving, compassionate, generous and humble. She loved her family and those she met unconditionally. She always found the good in people, and was always ready and willing to help those in need and share anything she had. Her laughter and smile were contagious, and she found joy even in simple things. Her greatest legacy was the love and compassion that she showed to those who were fortunate to know her, and that legacy will live forever in the hearts of many people.
Irene is survived by her sons, Fred and Leonard Dorman Jr.; sister Betty Lawter; niece Beth Young, nephews Leonard Young and wife Hedy, Robert Young and wife Beth Ann. We will miss her, but rejoice that she is with her Heavenly Father and all of the angels and saints in her Heavenly Home and we thank God for the gift of her life. Service will be held at Wilson's Chapel of the Roses at 965 Harvard Ave. on Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 12:00 p.m.