Dorothy Jean Boone was born June 27, 1948 in Owosso, Michigan to Rex and Betty Byington. She was the oldest of two children. She graduated from Corunna High School in the class 1966, and attended Michigan State University, earning her Bachelor's degree in English in 1970 with cognates in journalism and math.

She enjoyed a distinguished 39-year professional career as a housing and community development administrator, earning national recognition and awards for the development and management of groundbreaking programs in supportive housing for the developmentally disabled, single family rental housing for low income families, and financial assistance opportunity programs to enable home ownership.

Dorothy's supportive housing efforts won Michigan national attention and several awards during her 30 years spent at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. She retired as the Director of Supportive Housing in 2004. At MSHDA she spearheaded Michigan's nation leading efforts to provide housing that fosters independent living for low and moderate income people with disabilities and special needs. She guided the mortgage lending underwriting and management of a $50 million group home portfolio and originated MHSDA's Section 8 Existing Housing voucher program, the first statewide program of its kind in the nation.

For the city of Lansing, Dorothy guided a neighborhood rehabilitation and revitalization effort featuring Lansing's Land Bank. Her work in blighted areas with neighborhood groups, local builders, and developers will be felt in the city for years to come.

Dorothy was most proud, however, of being the parent of four children and helping to rear other family members. She was also proud of her volunteer community efforts which sought to enhance educational, business, economic and housing opportunities for  disadvantaged and minority populations. Among her community activities she served 15 years on the Lansing School District's Equal Education Opportunity Committee, several as chairman; she was a member of the board of the Entrepreneur Institute, and a founding member of the Parent Action Committee for Minority Academic Concerns (PACMAC).

She also volunteered abroad, traveling to South Africa to build homes with Habitat for Humanity, and China as part of the People to People effort to advance knowledge in the areas of treating  brain injuries and mental disorders.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her brother Robert (Martha) Byington of Hastings, husband, Ernie Boone, and four children: Ernie II (Brandi), Omari (Stephanie), Adia, all of Lansing, and Chad (Nikki) Fort Worth Texas; 15 grandchildren: Ainslie, Sydney, Symone, Jordyn, Lattrael, Jayce, Samara, Makena, Hannah, Omari, Elijah, Mirielle, Lydia,  Cecilia, and Violeta; niece, Sarah (Stuart) Konynenbelt, Grand Rapids, nephew Eric Byington, Washington D.C.;  in-law siblings: Michael (Makunda) Lewis, Myron Lewis, of Detroit,  Karen (Marshal) Ayers, Atlanta, Ga.

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