May 14, 1930 – May 1, 2023
Dode has died.
She is gone from this earth; there will never be another person like her. Not ever. The truth of this leaves her only child with enormous grief; which means there is enormous love for Dode and for our family of three.
“Dolores Mae Ground” and everyone called her Dode, was born in Hastings, NE and moved to Casper, WY with her parents when Dode was nine. She attended school there and then the University of WY.
Dode was preceded in death by her parents: Charles R Ground and Ella M Ground, her sister, Loretta, and her brother Milton “Milt” Ground. She liked being outside almost as much as her husband of 63 years, love of her life, Richard U. “Dick” Perkins, who preceded her in death eight years ago. Dode was never the same after his death. Dode is survived by her daughter, Jan Perkins, of Oakley, UT and a nephew and two nieces in CO.
Dode and Dick moved to Salt Lake City in 1956 from New York City. They loved their home over-looking the Salt lake Valley, their friends and neighbors, skiing at Alta and watching elk on the mountain during breakfast.
They bought a condo in Park City in 1975 on the eighth green of the Park City Golf Course where they enjoyed many years of golf, skiing, and being in the mountains. In our family, Dode was known as “Eagle-Eye Perkins”. On many trips to Jackson, Yellowstone and the Tetons, Dode would always accurately spot “invisible” moose, eagles, and other wildlife at great distance and long before anyone else could see them. She was a highly observant person. Dode enjoyed watching wildlife, nature, reading, listening to music and in her day she enjoyed dancing. She loved her daughter’s horse, adopted cats, family dogs; all of whom were family. She had great friendships and she and Dick enjoyed having dinner parties, poker nights, and golf trips with their friends.
Dode was a beautiful skier and was on the ski team in college. She was an avid golfer and bridge player where she made life-long friends. She was creative. She was elegant. She was very social and enjoyed a good cup of tea and conversation with a friend.
She laughed a lot. She liked art, had good design sense; she kept a beautiful home. She was treasurer of her investment club for over 40 years. She was immensely supportive; a proud mother and close confidant.
Dode said she lived a very happy life and she was thankful. She stayed on earth as long as she possibly could; not wanting to leave her daughter. A malignant growth in her colon ended her life. She was very brave.
Dode did not want a service, she wanted to die at home and to have Psalm 23 read after she died. She requested that her ashes be mixed with Dick’s ashes and buried together on a mountain top. Her requests have been honored.
You can honor Dode’s life by telling those you love how much you care. We never know how much time we have left.
Life is precious.
www.starksfuneral.com