Dorothy Gustafson Lang

Dorothy Gustafson Lang, 90, passed away on Saturday, January 23, 2016. She was born in Tampa, Florida in 1925 to Raymond H. Gustafson and Bessie Dyer Gustafson Laws. The family moved to St. Petersburg less than year later. She attended North Ward Elementary, Mirror Lake Jr. High, and St. Petersburg High, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and the SOS Club. She graduated from then-St. Petersburg Jr. College in 1944, joined Dido Sorority and was elected May Queen that year. In 1946, she graduated from the University of North Carolina, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority and Valkyries, the highest Women's Honorary Society. At the age of 12, she joined the First United Methodist Church, and remained a member all her life. She made her debut in St. Petersburg in 1945, and later was president of the St. Petersburg Debutante Club. She was active in the St. Petersburg Jr. League, the Museum of Fine Arts and Stuart Society, and served as a docent at the Florida International Museum. She was a member of the Museum of History, Salvador Dali Museum, and St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Dorothy Lang loved the city of St. Petersburg and enjoyed joining husband of 64 years, Jim Lang, in his numerous activities as a community leader. More than anything else, Dorothy enjoyed being a Mom. She was a Brownie Scout leader, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout mother, PTA President, Cotillion chaperon, school room mother and many, many more activities supporting and encouraging her two children, Karen and Jim. During the county-wide teachers' strike of 1968, she taught English at Bay Point Jr. High.She loved people and she thoroughly enjoyed monthly luncheons with long-time friends from high school and earlier.Dorothy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Talley Lang, her parents, R.H. Gustafson and Bessie Gustafson Laws, and her sister, Mildred G. Raphun. She is survived by her daughter, Karen Lang Johnston and husband, Eugene Johnston; son, James T. Lang, Jr.; sisters Evelyn Collins(Jack) and Helen McChesney; grandchildren Jaime Waltman, Daniel Sinclair, James T. Lang III, Katherine L. Peterson; and 6 great-grandchildren. Numerous nieces and nephews, of whom she was very fond, survive her, and she so appreciated special help from niece Linda McMillan and nephew Jay Collins.Visitation at Anderson McQueen will be from 5-7 on Saturday, January 30. Funeral services will be Sunday, January 31 at 1pm with burial at Memorial Park to follow. The family requests that remembrances be made to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Salvador Dali Museum, or First United Methodist Church in lieu of flowers at http://memorial-donations.org/.