Dorothy "Dottie" A. Valenches

Dorothy “Dottie” (Grissom) Valenches, 85, of Winona, passed away Saturday, September 20, 2025.

Dottie was born on April 17, 1940, to Grace (Westlake) and Robert Grissom in Detroit, MI. Dottie’s childhood was interesting to say the least. As a small child, Dottie’s family moved to Memphis, TN where her father was stationed as a Radar Operation Instructor in the Navy. With the WWII housing shortage in full swing and her father located on the base, Dottie and her family lived in a converted chicken coop, among other places.

Dottie was raised in the Detroit area and at twenty years old, she met Carl Valenches, who would turn out to be the love of her life and soul mate. Dottie and Carl were married on September 16, 1961, and eventually settled in Glen Ellyn, IL, where they built a home and a family. After Carl passed in 1990, Dottie moved back to Michigan and worked for several years as a broker’s assistant with her younger brother, Steve, at Merrill Lynch. Following her retirement, Dottie eventually decided to relocate to Winona, MN, to be near her granddaughter, Nicole, (oh yeah, and her daughter and son-in-law Darren too).

Dottie loved sewing, knitting, playing bridge and reading. Dottie had a lifelong love of helping and contributing in some way to help others. She was involved in her children’s lives by being a part of the PTA, school activities, cub scouts and girl scouts. Dottie also enjoyed knitting baby caps for the newborn children at local hospitals, and she took great pride volunteering at a local TV station for a segment that acted as consumer advocates for viewers. After moving to Winona, Dottie made a great group of friends at Willow Brook Cooperative Living. She loved getting together with her new friends for lunch or to a Friday fish fry. Dottie was most definitely a “people person” and enjoyed being with others, talking to them, and learning about their lives.

Dottie is survived by her son, Chuck Valenches of Lakewood, OH; her daughter, Patty (Darren) Omoth; and granddaughter, Nicole Omoth of Winona; brothers and sisters: Susan Hubbard, Paul (Ann) Grissom, Steven (Erica) Dempsey, William Dempsey, Barbara Dempsey, Ellen (Angela) Dempsey, Russell (Karen) Dempsey; and oodles of nieces and nephews; and many great friends in Winona, MN, MI, and IL.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Carl; her parents; her loving aunt and uncle, Pat and Charlie Westlake; and step-father, Len Laich.

To honor her wishes, there will be no funeral service - she will be cremated and her ashes scattered with Carl’s in Illinois.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Dottie’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.

Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.