Dorothy "Dotti" Sullivan

Dorothy “Dotti” Sullivan (76) passed away peacefully on June 3, 2023 with beloved children and grandchildren by her side. She will always be remembered as a caring and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Dotti was born on October 17, 1946 to Donald Howard Peaker and Augusta (Gleason) Peaker in Pueblo, Colorado. She was the fifth of eight children. Dotti always raved about her amazing childhood, as she spent endless hours on her beloved horse Sugar either practicing her trick riding or playing “Cowboys and Indians”.  It was during these years that she not only gained a love for animals but also gained those infamous biceps that beat many in arm wrestling well into her 70s!

Dotti was a celebrated and well-liked student at Centennial High School where she served as captain of the cheerleading team. Unsurprisingly, she was voted “Miss Congeniality” and Homecoming Queen her senior year in 1964.

She later went on to attend Colorado State University where she was an active member of the Tri Delta Sorority. Dotti earned her secretarial certificate and landed a job working for the Dean’s office soon after. During her time at CSU, Dotti met many of her life-long friends as well as Jim Sullivan, who she would later marry in 1967 for a marriage spanning almost 50 years.

On November 29th, 1971, Dotti became a mother when she gave birth to her son Brandon O’Neal.  On July 30, 1976 her daughter Laura Jane was born.  Being married to Jim and having Brandon and Laura as her children gave her great opportunity to practice patience, forgiveness, love and also was most likely the beginning of her nickname “Energizer Bunny” that she certainly fulfilled to the very end.  Whether ice skating competitively, skiing down moguls, playing tennis, climbing 14ers, riding horses (always asking for the “ornery one”), riding her bike, feeding the homeless, taking sunset walks, dancing in the moonlight, or bringing the lone fox in the nearby field table scraps for years, she was always on the move.  Even while she slept, her foot never stopped!

Dotti was a peacemaker.  Her loving, forgiving nature and strong Christian faith shined through everything she did. She inspired many to develop their faith and relationship with Christ. She lived her faith out loud and had not one enemy. Every morning she could be seen sitting in her chair with a cup of coffee in hand and a blanket (or a cat!) on her lap reading her Bible and praying.  Those that knew her well, often heard her express her excitement of the day she would meet her Heavenly Father.  There is no doubt she has heard, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Dotti is predeceased by her husband, Jim Sullivan, her parents Don and Augusta Peaker, and sisters Elise McGuire and Cindy LaForge.

She is survived by her siblings, Howard Peaker, Hannah Rush, Donna Ritzo, Edra Jean Peaker, and Donald Peaker.  (If none of these names ring a bell, you may recognize them as PapaDon, Dudda, GooGoo, Howard, EJ, Whootsie, Pooh, Doodle, Bopsy and Stuffy.  After all, most extended family members did not learn their names until well into adulthood!)

She is also survived by her children with normal names, Brandon Sullivan, Laura (AJ) Page, and her six beloved grandchildren: Riley, Blake, Jadon, David, Nathan, and Abigail.