Dorothy (Dotti) Dawn Brazeal Cleary

1932-2018

Dorothy (Dotti) Dawn Cleary Brazeal, 86 of Sycamore, Illinois passed away June 28, 2018 at Lincolnshire Home with her family by her side.

Dotti was born on February 10, 1932 in Marengo, Illinois to Rosina and Roy Cleary.  She grew up in Sycamore and after high school graduation, she attended Rockford Memorial Hospital Nursing Program and became an RN.  After years of clinical and private nursing in Illinois, Dotti moved to Minneapolis.  There she raised her 3 daughters and explored more opportunities for women in nursing.  She enjoyed teaching nursing in St. Paul, and after receiving her BS.N in nursing at Metropolitan State University she enjoyed a career in business nursing.

Dotti enjoyed all Minnesota had to offer.  Her favorite past times were USTA tennis, skiing, bike trips and the arts.  She ran her first Marathon at age 50 and continued for the next 10 years or so.  Her later years were spent traveling the world and some winter months in Mexico.

She was preceded in death by her sisters Elizabeth, Agnes Dick, Eleanor Hayes, Roberta Suhr, Inez Cleary and her twin brother Dale at age 7.

Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-laws, Terri and Mohsen Pourahmadi of College Station, TX, Denise Bodda of Cortland, IL and Kathleen and Pete Lazar of Kansas City, MO; her sister Irene Brown of Sun Lakes Arizona; 6 grandchildren, Nina Pourahmadi, Chicago, IL, Adam Pourahmadi, NYC, NY, Marie Bodda, Ft. Collins, CO and Jack Bodda, Sycamore, IL, Michelle Lazar of Springhill, TN and Peter Lazar of Downers Grove, IL. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to Northwestern Medicine Hospice DeKalb.

A private burial will take place Tuesday, July3, Elmwood Cemetery in Sycamore, IL, with Rev. Joseph Gastiger officiating. Cremation was entrusted to Finch Funeral Home, with a memorial service to be held in the future. Please leave a message on our online guest book.  Arrangements were entrusted to: Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL, 60115 (815) 758-3841.