Dorothy Ruth Orpen

Dorothy Ruth Orpen (Hinkel)

Dorothy Orpen, 90, was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1925 to Charles Edward Hinkel and Dorothy Elizabeth Hinkel. She passed away at her home in Long Beach, California on June 27, 2016.

Dorothy’s family moved to California when she was a teenager and lived in both San Francisco and Canoga Park. Long Beach is where she met her husband, Charles Orpen and they were soon married on April 13, 1945.

She worked for Sav-On Drug Stores for many years, first as a stocker at the store in downtown Long Beach and then as a merchandizer, setting up new stores throughout Southern California. She retired in 1972 after three major heart attacks.

During her retirement, Dorothy was an avid golfer and a member of not only Skylinks Woman’s Club but also Little Rec Woman’s Club at Recreation Park in Long Beach. Dorothy and Chuck owned property in Indio, California which is located on a golf course. Both enjoyed their time there golfing and relaxing with their friends. She volunteered at Memorial Medical Center of Long Beach in the gift shop, but most of all, she enjoyed working in her garden!

Dorothy was preceded in death by her grandson, Charles Dixon in 1983 and her husband, Charles, in 2001. She is survived by her two daughters, Carol Sida and Shirley Dixon as well as 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

She will be remembered as a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother who put her family as a first priority! She will be missed.

Her funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, July 7, 2016 at 10 AM at Bethany Lutheran Church in Long Beach with burial immediately following at Riverside National Cemetery.