Dorothy Jean Johsz, affectionately known to family and friends as “Ace,” “Dot,” and “Dottie,” passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at the age of 92 in Seal Beach, California. A longtime resident of Seal Beach, Dorothy was cherished for her warmth, kindness, and unwavering devotion to her family, leaving behind a legacy of love that will be remembered by all who knew her.

Born Dorothy Jean on September 23, 1933, in the heart of the Great Depression, to Ukrainian immigrants Michael and Martha Gretz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The youngest of five sisters and three brothers, Dot bounced around from foster home to foster home after the untimely death of her 50-year-old mother when she was only nine years old. Although Dot’s early life was tough, running around the narrow, hilly streets of Pittsburgh’s poor suburb of North Braddock helped shape who she was to become. Playing baseball with homemade bats and balls, she began honing her life skills by competing head-to-head with the neighborhood boys.

At 16 years of age, Dorothy’s older sister Catherine and brother-in-law Sal sponsored her rail trip out to California to start a new life. Dot graduated from Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles where she was a good student getting on honor roll and was in several clubs and played a few sports, including softball and basketball. For a time, she played semi-pro softball; she was that good. Dorothy lived with Catherine and Sal right up until her marriage.

Dorothy and George met through mutual friends in 1954 when George was in the Air Force and Dot worked downtown at the Federal Reserve Bank. They were married about a year later on September 25, 1955, at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Los Angeles, the start of 70+ years of marriage. One of their first homes was in Fairbanks, Territory of Alaska, when George was stationed at Ladd Air Force Base. Several apartments and houses later, they moved to Huntington Beach in 1965 with their sons Stephen, George and Michael.

Life in the Johsz house revolved around sports. Hours of pitching, catching, batting, shagging fly balls, pickle, pepper, over the line, football in the street, basketball in the driveway. You name it, we seemed to play it. Dorothy was serenaded throughout long summer days with the endless thud, thud, thud of tennis balls being thrown against the garage door, that, lucky for us boys, had a design that was the size of a strike zone.

When we boys got older, Dot transitioned from baseball, basketball and football to tennis, golf, snow skiing and bowling. Dottie loved to go on skiing trips with family and friends to Mammoth or Lake Tahoe. She not only played sports but made some extra money by refereeing and umpiring girls’ softball, basketball and volleyball.

As tough as Ace was, she could never touch a live bug or fish. Ironically though, she loved to go up to Big Pine in the Eastern Sierra and catch trout. She never touched or cleaned the trout, that was George’s job, but she loved to come back to camp with a stringer full of fish. In their later years when they could no longer walk the creek, Dot and George would fish for hours at the Pond near Glacier Lodge.

But there was always a softer side to Dot. Number one, she loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. There was plenty to love, with two grandsons bookending four granddaughters and ten great grandchildren. Her home was always filled with photos of the kids, from births, first communion, dance, sports and holidays. One of her favorite photos is of her and George with all the great grandchildren. The other thing Mom could not resist is charitable giving. I don’t think she ever met a charity that she didn’t like, not only giving money but also her time to the Catholic Church at HELP.

After George retired from Garrett, they moved to Sun Lakes in Banning, which was the perfect community for Dottie. She met many new friends and was able to play her sports; golf, bowling, and bocce, and it was a great home base for their many travels in those years. In 1996, Dot was the Sun Lakes women’s golf champion. After nearly 30 years in Sun Lakes, it was time for Dorothy and George to downsize and move closer to family, so it was on to Leisure World in Seal Beach.

Dorothy had several nicknames, but the most memorable was “Ace,” which was even engraved on her first bowling ball. It is said that she got the name because she cheated at cards and I’m sure all the kids can attest to that, especially after the endless games of UNO she would play with them. However, her athletic prowess probably contributed more to that name.

Nearly 71 years ago, Dot and George danced to their song “Stranger in Paradise” and they had many great years together. Sadly, the last few years of Dot’s life were a struggle due to her many ailments. The lack of full mobility was especially hard on her, as she always led a very active lifestyle. Now Dot has passed. To paraphrase lyrics from their song, “but open your angel’s arms to this stranger in paradise and tell her that she need be a stranger no more.” Now, Dorothy is no longer a stranger to that everlasting paradise.

Dorothy is lovingly survived by her devoted husband, George Johsz of Seal Beach, California; her sons, Stephen Johsz and his wife, Lynn, and George Johsz and his wife, Tricia; her cherished grandchildren, Brian Johsz and his wife, Libbie, Laura Hahn and her husband, Jason, Zoey Buddle and her husband, Drew, Zachary Johsz, Krista Asbury and her husband, Landon, and Stephanie Messick and her husband, Chris; and her treasured great-grandchildren, Stephen Johsz, Anna Johsz, Dorothy Hahn, Elaine Hahn, Fiona Hahn, Eloise Buddle, Emma Bosshart, Ava Bosshart, London Messick, and Luca Messick. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Terri Blau, and her daughter-in-law, Jill Johsz. She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Michael Johsz, who passed away on October 12, 2016.

Services for Dorothy will be held on Sunday July 19, at 12:00pm at McCormick & Son Mortuaries, Laguna Hills, CA. A graveside service will take place on Monday July 20, at 12:45pm at Riverside National Cemetery.