Mary Louise (Rusty) Dutkiewicz of Dorr, the matriarch of the family that owned and operated Dick’s Market for 65 years, died Tuesday, Nov. 2. She was 92.
Despite her obligations and activities with the local grocery, Rusty perhaps was best known as a fierce champion of the Right to Life movement in Allegan County. She and her husband, Dick, were known as longtime Democrats, but she switched sides, notably in the 1986 Michigan gubernatorial election, endorsing Republican challenger William Lucas over
incumbent Democrat James Blanchard because of the abortion issue.
Rusty and Dick Dutkiewicz started Dick’s Market in downtown Dorr in 1956 and moved the grocery to the strip mall west on on 142nd Avenue in 1986 and later into its current location across the street.
Mary was born April 8, 1929, the oldest of eight children born to Tony and Adelaide Donahue. Her father began calling her Rusty by the time she was 3 years old because of that great head of red hair.
Tony was very industrious to feed that many mouths, and along with his several other jobs, the family owned a chicken farm that they eventually sold to the City of Wyoming where the Wyoming High School football field is now. Even today, if you drive between Burlingame and Michael Avenue, you will see Donahue Alley south off of Prairie Parkway.
Rusty attended Catholic Central High School, where she met Dick Dutkiewicz. They married on Sept. 29, 1951. Her dad built them a house on Ariebill Street in Wyoming where they started a family.
In June of 1955, while Rusty was in the hospital having given birth to their third child. Dick came to the hospital to say he had bought a small grocery store in Dorr with a two-bedroom apartment above it. Rusty promptly asked, “Where the heck is Dorr?!”
For the next 46 years Dick’s Market was their livelihood and life, raising seven kids in that little apartment above the store. Until in 1987 when they moved the store to a bigger location in the new Hillcrest Mall that was being built on the Eastern end of Dorr. Dick’s kielbasa and sausage shop is legendary and will live on, even with the store being sold earlier this year.
Rusty went by many titles, Catholic, Mother, Grandma, Great Grandma, as she used to recall “I was a baby politician” (no pun intend) and friend! Her commitment to her church, her community, the unborn and her God was amazing.
Rusty had a big heart for people and she would do whatever she could to help. She would say things out of love though sometimes she didn’t always say it in the most politically correct way. She was champion for the unborn since the Roe v Wade Supreme Court case and was co-founder of the North Allegan Right to Life group. She was a member of the Michigan Right to Life board and after that got involved in the Allegan GOP and local elections.
The sparkly hat will be missed, as well as all the stories of this or that. Rusty frequently joked by saying, “Dick beam me up.”
She is survived by her children Cathy (Ron) Merren, Rick (Krystal) Dutkiewicz, Larry (Ali) Dutkiewicz, Steve (Tammy) Dutkiewicz, Margi (Dave) Zerfas, Ann Steffes, and Paula (Mark) Pasma, as well as daughter “in-love,” Sherry Bluhm; along with 23 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter!
Rusty will also be missed by her siblings and their spouses Pat Emaus, Dr. Mike Lee, Tom and MaryAnn Donahue, Rita and Dick Hiltz, Beth and John Schnaubelt, and Chris Donahue; and her much loved nieces and nephews and their children.
Besides her husband and both parents and in-laws, she was preceded in death by her sisters Barb and Peggy; brother, Dan; sister-in-law, Bette and her husband, Dan Mongold; brothers-in-law Bill Emaus and Bill Weideman; Dave Bluhm, as well as Dick and Rusty’s infant son, Casey.
She was an active parishioner of St. Stanislaus Parish, volunteering as a lector. She was also a member of St. Stan’s Altar Rosary Society and served as Director of Religious Education for many years.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Monday, Nov.8, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, 1871 136th Ave., Dorr. The family will receive relatives and friends from 2 to 4 and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday Nov. 7, with a Rosary to be held 6-6:30 p.m. at Kubiak-Cook Funeral Home, 4330 18th Ave., Dorr.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Right to Life of Michigan Education Fund, Allegan Wings of Hope Hospice, or St. Stanislaus School Education Fund.
Matthew 25:21
Well done, my good and faithful servant.
May God bless a noble defender for life.
Rusty was a WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL LADY! So many GOOD memories of Her. Has SO MANY long talks with Rusty. Prayers to all the family.