Noretta Dunworth April 23, 1928 - February 5, 2023

Noretta Dunworth, age 94, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023 surrounded by her loving family.

Noretta was the daughter of Wesley and Erma Dunworth and is predeceased by her brother Jack Dunworth and daughter Lisa Mrkva.  She is survived by her daughter Loni Lane Padesky (Joseph); her son Kip Mrkva (Peggy); her grandchildren Cory Clark Padesky (Elizabeth), Casey Quinn Padesky, Kyle Mrkva (Gypsa) and Kellen Mrkva ( Lauren); and great-grandchildren Emilia Quinn Padesky, Henry John Padesky, Adelina Marin Mrkva, Sylvie Margaret Mrkva and Leonard Jai Mrkva.

Noretta grew up in Dearborn and was a 1946 graduate of Fordson High School.  She was a trailblazer. At the age of 12 founded The Noretta Dunworth School of Dance, which has grown to be an internationally acclaimed dance studio over the past 83 years.  She has produced numerous professional dancers who have performed on Broadway, Ballet companies, Radio City Rockettes, television, movies. Many of her students have started their own dance studios.

She was a member of The Dance Masters of Michigan/America, Dance Educators of America, and the Cecchetti Council of America for over 50 years, and received the Legacy Award and Most Honored Studio at the 2017 National Dance Honors Competition.

Noretta was awarded Dearborn Arts Council's Mayor's Award twice, under both Mayor Michael Guido and Mayor Jack OReilly.

She was proudest of her family and the lives she touched and influenced in the world of dance and beyond.  Noretta lived and loved her life to the fullest and shared her wisdom, knowledge, perseverance and dedication to everyone she met and taught. An educator to the very end.

And now, the end is here. She's faced the final curtain. She lived a life that's full, but oh, and more, much more than this... She did it her way.

Noretta's visitation will be Saturday, February 11th from 10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Dearborn Chapel of the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home, 22546 Michigan Ave. Dearborn, Mi. 48124.  Eulogy Saturday 6:00 p.m. Interment Acacia Park Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to Noretta by sending flowers.