Dorothy Ann Kirk Obituary
Dorothy (Dottie) Ann Kirk, 88, of St. Joseph passed away peacefully in her home on Wednesday September 16th, 2026, following a short illness.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at Starks & Menchinger Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., in St. Joseph with a Rosary service at 7:00 P.M.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M., on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 220 Church St., in St. Joseph. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery. Memorials can be made to the Lake Michigan Catholic School Fund, and the Saint Joseph Catholic Church.
Funeral arrangements are by Tom Starks and Andy Menchinger at Starks Menchinger Funeral Home in St. Joseph.
Dorothy Ann Bettenhausen was born on January 13, 1938, in Riverside, Michigan. She lived in this area all her life. She grew up on the family apple farm in Riverside with her mom and two sisters. She graduated from St. John’s Catholic High School in Benton Harbor. She worked and retired from St. Joseph High School as a baker where she was known affectionately as the "Cookie Lady". She was a volunteer at the Pine Ridge Nursing home in Stevensville where she called the Bingo Games for the senior residents. She also was an active member of the Saint Joseph Catholic Church.
Dottie was a devoted and caring wife and a loving and giving mother and grandmother to her four children and many grandchildren. Her passions were cooking and baking where she excelled. She loved putting on big dinners for her loving family.
Dorothy “Dottie" (Bettenhausen) Kirk is survived by her two sons. Martin Kirk of St. Joseph, David (Angela) Kirk of Lexington, South Carolina, two daughters, Katherine (Jim) Forker of Bridgman, and Rita Kirk of St. Joseph. She had many grandchildren including Justin Kirk, of South Carolina, Wesley Kirk of St. Joseph, Tyler Kirk, of South Carolina, Jessica DeVos of St. Joseph and great-grandson Parker DeVos. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Larry A. Kirk whom she married on August 11, 1956. She was also preceded by her mother Catherine Remus, her father Irving Bettenhausen, her sisters Merrillynn Stevens and Rita Kinney.
