Dorothy Carolyn Ricketts

Dorothy Carolyn Ellis Ricketts was born at home in Warren, Arkansas on May 16, 1928, the youngest child of George and Mary Ellis and baby sister to George Jr. and Bob Ellis.  Being the only girl, she was doted on by her father.  She led an idyllic childhood surrounded by loving family, friends, and family pets (which included a pony they kept in their backyard).  She had happy memories of Sunday afternoon drives to visit family, Saturday afternoon “picture show” matinees (admission: 10 cents), and swinging on tree swings on a Southern plantation.  After brief stints in Louisiana and Texas, the family moved to Long Beach, California, when she was 11 to join her father’s parents.  Dorothy was in awe of California but quickly learned to lose her Southern drawl due to teasing from her classmates. She became a true Long Beach native, attending Lowell Elementary, Will Rogers Jr. High, Wilson High (1946), and Long Beach City College (1948).

Dorothy remembered listening to President Roosevelt’s declaration of war on Japan; the entire high school listened together to the radio address.  There were no dances at high school due to the war, but the football games continued - something she and her girlfriends never missed.  In 1946, the men returned from WWII and the real fun started at City College.  Dating memories during this time included frequent school dances, grunion hunts at Sunset Beach highlighted by beach bonfires, and dancing at concerts by Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington and others at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium.  “Happy Days Are Here Again” accurately reflected those times.

Dorothy worked at Aments Bakery in Belmont Shore, where she met the love of her life, Jim Ricketts. Despite her heading off to UCSB, she and Jim continued their courtship.  She received Jim’s USC fraternity pin in four months, an engagement ring four months later, and a wedding ring four months after that.  Dorothy and Jim enjoyed a happy 60+ years together.  Even though she quit college to get married - something that disappointed her father tremendously - she returned to school years later.  She graduated in 1979 from CSU Fullerton with her bachelor’s degree in Child Development.  Her diploma lists her full name including “Ellis” in honor of her father.

Dorothy and Jim moved from Long Beach to Downey in 1952 where they raised their four children.  She was the director of two church-related preschools, a substitute teacher, and an Adult Ed instructor of parent education.  After retirement, Dorothy and Jim returned to Long Beach in 1986 to Jim’s family beach house which was one of the first houses on the Peninsula.  There she stayed busy volunteering at her church, with the Assistance League of Long Beach, and with the Alamitos Bay Garden Club.  She loved playing bridge with various groups and was a killer Gin Rummy player.  Her favorite past time, though, was spending time with family and friends, usually with a glass of wine.

Dorothy considered her four children - Susan (Gene) Lucas, Patti (Steve) Rietfors, Randy (Yvonne) Ricketts, and Carolyn (Mike) Smith - her greatest accomplishments in life and she welcomed and loved her in-law children as her own.  Her 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren brought her much joy and pride.  She inspired us all with her love for life. She will be greatly missed but we know she’s happy, dancing cheek to cheek with her beloved Jim.