Dorothy Gwendolyn Cull Yenney
Feb. 13, 1922-March 28, 2016
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Kris Yvon Yenney
Dorothy (Dottie, GramDot) Yenney ~ Palo Alto resident since 1958, had a long and varied career and a storied life. . . . Born in Fargo, North Dakota, in 1922, she was the youngest of five and only daughter of Jack Arthur and Nettie Mildred Cull. An avid athlete, Dorothy spent her formative years on horseback, skijoring, playing softball, embracing the farm activities such as delivering eggs on horseback and giving her four brothers a run for their money... She played the cello from a young age until switching her focus as a student at Carleton College during the war years. There she majored in math and minored in art. After earning her degree, Dorothy left her native Midwest to pursue work in the aerodynamic industry in Southern California, where she met and married another aeronautical engineer, Warren W. Yenney. The newlyweds spent a few years ('54-'58) in Maryland, where their son Jon and daughter Kris were born, then returned to Northern California and settled in Palo Alto. In 1960, their youngest, Heidi, was born, completing the nuclear Yenney Unit.
After marrying, Dorothy assumed the role of homemaker and mother of three. She was anything but "stay-at-home," as she was active in many community organizations, notably the Palo Alto Art Club (now the Pacific Art League) and the "Mother Singers" choir. Her paintings were shown in many galleries and are in private collections to this day. Dorothy's one-woman art shows were said to resemble group shows, as she explored many styles and media from classical oil and abstract acrylic on canvas to clay, plaster-cast, stone and wood sculpture ... Dorothy attended innumerable musical and theatrical performances and ball games of her children over the years and supported every endeavor. Her home was filled with art and music: All of her children and grandchildren have embraced the arts and several have made/are making careers in the arts. She played some cello in Stanford's Savoyards productions, pick-up softball with her kids (often knocking balls far afield and beyond) and took up tennis later, which she played regularly until she was in her 80s. In short, Dottie embraced life and empowered her children to embrace theirs with gusto and gratitude.
In recent years, "GramDot" -- a doting grandmother to five -- spent time at Avenidas downtown, then finally moved to the Palo Alto Commons in 2013 at the age of 91. There, she enjoyed the beautiful grounds, in-house concerts, the kind caretakers and interesting resident characters, among whom she was chief. Her local daughter, Kris, visited daily and the out-of-town family made numerous happy visits there. Dorothy had an unforgettable style, from her purple hats to her capering toes and her easy humor. She died peacefully in the loving presence of her three children -- Jon Atwood Yenney of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Heidi Lee Yenney of Cincinnati, Ohio and Kris Yvon Yenney of Palo Alto.
.... She will be fondly missed by her family and all who knew her.
Tags: arts/media