Dorothy Brizendine passed away on Monday 14, 2016 at Covenant Village in Turlock.

Born Dorothy Lee Isensee on July 10, 1922 in Redlands, she moved with her family to Long Beach at the age of 3 months.  At age 11, she lived through the Long Beach earthquake of 1933, an experience she never forgot.   Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Modesto.  Dorothy graduated from Modesto High School, attended Modesto Junior College and Southern California College (now Vanguard University) during World War II.  She was married to James M. Brizendine on March 17, 1945 in San Francisco when he was on leave from military service.  They moved to San Gabriel, California in in the late 1940s where she and her husband lived until 1970.  After the early childhood of her two children, she returned to college and received her bachelor’s degree in education and teaching credential from Los Angeles State College (now California State University, Los Angeles).  For over 20 years, she was a successful and well-respected primary grade teacher in the San Gabriel and Hemet Unified School Districts.  She and Jim retired to Morro Bay.  In 2001, five years after Jim’s passing, Dorothy moved to Covenant Village in Turlock California where she lived for the final 15 years of her life.

Dorothy grew up in the Foursquare Gospel Church, was a long-time member of San Gabriel Union Church prior to becoming a member of Pasadena Covenant Church.   After moving to Turlock, she attended Covenant Church of Turlock until she was no longer physically able.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Joan Mosley and husband Ron of Los Alamitos, California; son William Brizendine and wife Emily of Piedmont, California; grandsons Ryan Mosley and wife Sarah of Long Beach, Michael Brizendine and wife Sarah, of Flower Mound, Texas, and Evan Brizendine of Benecia.  Also surviving Dorothy is her great-grandson, Aaron Brizendine, son of Michael and Sarah.

She will be laid to rest in the National Cemetery in Riverside California alongside her husband of 51 years.  A family memorial service will be held at a later date.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Salvation Army (Turlock), City of Hope (Newark, NJ) or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN), her favorite charities.