Dorothy Kopacz Piquet, 94, departed this life on October 26, 2020, in Provo, Utah. She passed away after a valiant struggle with vascular dementia, despite her goal to live until 100.
She was born July 7, 1926, to Joannes Kopacz and Maria Porucznik Kopacz, in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, where she spent her childhood. She was close to her only sister, Olga, and father, who used to take her everywhere with him, even to local tavern, where he would buy her a soda while he socialized with his friends.
Dorothy learned many homemaking skills from her mother, while growing up, which she honed to become an excellent seamstress, chef, and chocolatier. It was nothing for her to bake over 100 dozen cookies a month to send to her four brothers and their military units.
She learned Russian from the local Russian Orthodox Church, which helped to communicate with her mother, who couldn't speak any English. She taught herself how to play the violin, which her father loved to hear - and was a member of the school orchestra - and loved to dance the polka, traveling for hours with her friends, from the Russian Orthodox R Club, to the nearest dance.
In September of 1950, Dorothy met Eugene "Gene" Piquet, who had come to Los Angeles from Driggs, Idaho, to work in the music and sound business. Gene thought Dorothy was a "knock-out" and noticed that she didn't smoke or drink. He was impressed and immediately asked her to dance. Their first dance together was to "Harbor Lights," which became their favorite song.
Their courtship was short, marrying just after five months in Riverside, California, on February 7, 1951. She was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and was later sealed to Gene in the Idaho Falls Temple on January 5, 1977. Dorothy and Gene were blessed with five children, Karen, Mary Ellen (deceased), Leonard, Doreen (deceased) and Paulette. Gene passed away on March 5, 2007.
Dorothy was an avid collector of beautiful objects which she acquired while traveling around the United States and foreign countries. She had the gift of friendship and the gift of gab, helping her to make many friends throughout her life. She loved to talk to people, even strangers.
Dorothy moved to Provo, Utah, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, in June 2019, where she became an enthusiastic puzzler, word searcher and bingo player.
Dorothy is survived by her loving children, Karen Eugenia (Richard) Martin of Provo, UT, Leonard Eugene Piquet of Idaho Falls, ID, and Paulette (Hilton) Campbell of Orem, UT. They were blessed with fourteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Eugene "Gene" Albert Piquet; infant daughter, Mary Ellen Piquet; and daughter, Doreen Renae Burke.
Private family services will be held. Burial will be in the Bates Cemetery.
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