Dorothy M. Piotrowski
May 19, 1915 — Nov. 15, 2010
MONTROSE — Dorothy M. Piotrowski went to be with the Lord on Nov. 15, 2010. She was born Dorothy Thekia Mauthe` in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 19, 1915. She had one brother, Christian. Her husband, Bernard, passed away in 1978. They had four sons. Darryl, the youngest, is deceased. Her surviving sons are Dennis, who lives in Florida, Daniel, who lives in Idaho, and David, who lives in Delta. She had many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Dorothy worked her entire life. At a very early age, she worked for two insurance companies in the Los Angeles area. She eventually started her own business, Mauthe` Service, which was located on Sunset Blvd., in Los Angeles. As the name implies, her business was service oriented. She would tell her potential clients that “If I tell you I’ll do something – and will have it done by a certain time – I’ll do it – and if I don’t know something, I’ll find the answer for you.” She always kept her word. People knew they could count on her. Later in life, she became a real estate broker and kept her license until her death. She and her husband owned their own real estate company.
Mauthe` Service became so successful that her brother left his position as Vice-President of General Pictures on the RKO lot in Hollywood so that he could work with his sister. But it was not always easy. When she started her business, she rented out all three bedrooms of a house she herself was renting. She slept on the floor.
Her business included business management, accounting, tax advice, audits and insurance analyses. She had many famous clients, including actors, screen writers, authors, musicians and others. Some of these were Robert Mitchem, Walter Sande, Alex Gottlieb, Lela Rogers (Ginger Rogers’ mother), Robert Wright and Chet Forest (Wright and Forest), Lambert O’Neal, Helen Gamble (Proctor and Gamble), Elsa Maxwell (Hostess of the Mostess), Tom May (May Company), Josef Hoffmann, Richard Mealand, Sally Herst, Ring Lardner, Jr., Dalton Trumbo, Charlie Morrison and Elizabeth Waldo. She played tennis with Ginger Rogers and Dennis Morgan.
She and her husband always had an interest in business. They built apartments and owned restaurants. An up-and-coming actor once rented from them. His name was Alan Ladd. When they moved to Northridge, Calif., they continuted to associate with “the stars” including Walter Brennan, Jack Oakie, Arthur Hunnicut, Claude Akins and Monty Montana.
Now, Dorothy is in heaven, living in the stars. She was greeted by her husband and youngest son, and being absent from the body, is now present with the Lord. All of her loved ones can still hear her saying “put Him first!” A funeral service in celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010, at the Garnet Mesa Baptist Church in Delta. Burial will follow the service in Olathe Cemetery in Olathe, Colo. Memorial contributions in memory of Dorothy M. Piotrowski, may be made to The Garnet Mesa Baptist Church, 863 ‘A’ Street, Delta, CO 81416. Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home, 802 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-2121.
