Lori Susan Dodge-Dorsey

Lori's Story: How do you begin to summarize a person in just a few paragraphs? A daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, and friend to many, she had a very full and satisfying life. The middle child, Lori loved her family despite all our many faults, and was there for everyone through hard times and the many good times over the years. She was competitive, bossy, a drill sergeant, practical, loving, and kind, all rolled up into one person.

Lori was a 12-year reservist for the U.S. Army, earning her bachelor's and master's degrees in Social Work. She retired from her position as Director of the Madison County Department of Job and Family Services and Department of Family and Children in June 2021. An alumna of The Ohio State University, she loved her Buckeyes and had season tickets for football games and lady Bucks basketball games every year. It was a known fact – don't call during a Buckeyes or Bengals game, because she would be either watching them on TV or at the Buckeyes stadium! Lori loved sports, especially softball. She started playing baseball at age 12, when there were no other options for girls in the town and, as tiny as she was at the time, even made the All-Star team! When it was not softball season, she played basketball, volleyball, and golf to stay in shape. Through softball, she expanded her circle of friends beyond her local team, garnering close friendships she still has today, in addition to her current in-town and traveling teams, as well as close friends from high school, college, the Army, and many years of work.

At age 59, Lori played her last game of softball (with a game-winning RBI at a Florida tournament Halloween weekend) and ended a hard fight with a hidden competitor just under four months later. Through her experience, she was strong, optimistic, and lived her life as always, to the fullest in every way she could, with no regrets. Lori left us on Thursday February 23rd, 2023 to join her father, Mike Dodge, grandparents, Jesse and Lorine Blankenship and Patricia Wilkinson, her aunt, Mary Blankenship, and other close friends and family members.

The love, memories and stories of Lori continue with her husband Steve, daughter Rachel, son Kyle (Kayla) and grandchildren Rowan and Reid; her mother, Shirley Dodge and her siblings, Toni Dodge, Dane (Klaudia) Dodge, Mike (NeNe) Dodge, Jani (Barry) Wallen, and Geri Dodge. The memories continue with her nieces and nephews, Vincent Albarano, Christopher (Felicia) Dodge and Finley, Joel (Cheyenne) Dodge and Iris and River, Shann (Michael Gonzalez) and Jordan, John Ubante, Traci Ubante and Taylor, Jesse (Tiffany) Conley and Kayla, Westin and Jax, Jason (Mary Ann) Conley and Bella and Kyrie, Brandon Freeman, and Josh Freeman (Cade). Lori is also survived by her brother-in-law, Mike Dorsey (Paula); her sisters-in-law, Lori Dorsey, Debbi (Scott) Unger, and Cheryl (Bill) Esteph, as well as their children, her dear friends Kim Panzino and Cindy Dewitt, and other friends too numerous to list, and finally, her four-legged family Cooper, Rocco, Spade, Sage, and Marty. Special thanks to the staff at Riverside Methodist Hospital and Kobacker House for all the care and support.

Per Lori's wishes instead of a formal service, friends and family will celebrate her life with a tailgate at the start of the coming OSU football season. More details will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to "Pitch in for Baseball & Softball" by clicking here.