It is with great sadness that we must share the news of the passing of our friend Dorothy Kopczynski. For over 33 years Dorothy worked at the heart of ECHO as a steadfast employee and a wonderful and loving friend to all who knew her.
Dear ECHO Members,
It is with great sadness that we must share the news of the passing of our friend Dorothy Kopczynski. For over 33 years Dorothy worked at the heart of ECHO as a steadfast employee and a wonderful and loving friend to all who knew her.
Dorothy began her career at ECHO in 1979 when ECHO and the idea of Homeowners Associations were very new. Originally, she worked from home managing the office and her household. At the same time she was raising two sons, Jan and Mark, whom she loved dearly. In 1992 ECHO moved into offices and Dorothy followed, bringing her gentle nature, a tireless work ethic, and a remarkable skill for working with people. During her 33 years with ECHO, Dorothy created community gently by building friendships with unwavering patience and understanding. In an industry where conflict sometimes seems to be a constant, Dorothy’s warmth softened divisions and helped mold our unique community. She provided consistently quiet guidance to Executive Directors and board members alike while building relationships between our HOA and professional members.
In 2012 Dorothy retired to spend time with her family and her grandchildren whom she adored.
While Dorothy avoided the camera and public recognition. You would be hard-pressed to find her on a podium or in the pages of the Journal. She was present at every event and meeting and was ECHO’s unmistakable voice. Many of you may recall her voice on the phone, always one of sincere and effortless kindness. We all welcomed her warmhearted words which greeted every member, every event attendee, and every volunteer for more than three decades.
We are reminded of her presence every day in the community that she helped to build, and by our members who still call and ask for her either by name, or for “the kind lady from the South.”
ECHO’s staff, our Board of Directors, and our long-time members are immensely grateful for Dorothy’s work and for her friendship. Dorothy believed in family and she made us feel like a part of hers. We are lucky to have had her in our lives and we appreciate what she did for ECHO – but we loved her for who she was. We miss her dearly.
Please share your special memories of Dorothy with the ECHO community. You may email them to us through our contact page. You may also log in to comment below.