Dorothy M. Presta

Dorothy M. Presta, 90, of Denver, Colorado passed away Thursday, February 18, 2016 at Sunrise Senior Living at Pinehurst. Dorothy was born in Janesville, Wisconsin on June 16, 1925, the only child of Henry Malchow and Mamie (Schleisner) Malchow. She is survived by her loving husband Giuseppe, along with her children and grandchildren. Dorothy's childhood was filled with a love of books, ballet and piano lessons. She graduated from Janesville High School and left home to attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, followed by a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. After moving to Denver, Dorothy earned a teaching certificate from the University of Colorado and worked as a 2nd grade teacher at Teller Elementary. While on a blind date at Lowry Air Force Base she met her husband, Giuseppe Presta, an Italian Air Force Officer. They were married on July 19, 1958 in Naples, Italy and were happily married for nearly 58 years. Dorothy is survived by her four children, Elizabeth Mosley (Jack), Susan Presta (JR Hughes), Stephen Presta (Sandra) and Paul Presta (Sarah) and seven adoring grandchildren: Michael and Katherine Mosley, Madison, Charles Wilson and Averie Hughes, and Erin and Kelly Presta. Dorothy's greatest joy was her family. She was very proud of her grandchildren and loved being surrounded by them. Dorothy loved classical music, opera, ballet and the theater. She also enjoyed reading, gardening, sewing and knitting for much of her life. She was a proud fan of her football teams, including the Broncos, the Packers, and the Wisconsin Badgers. One of her greatest loves was travel. Her adventurous spirit took her around the globe, by plane, train, and her particular favorite, cruise ships. Dorothy was loved and admired for her intelligence and strong spirit. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother and will be deeply missed by her family. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 4, 2016 at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel (3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arthritis National Research Foundation (curearthritis.org), the Colorado Symphony (coloradosymphony.org) or to a charity of your choice.