Marquette, MI – May 29th, 2026 – Dorothy M. Izzo, the mother of longtime Michigan State men’s basketball coach, Tom Izzo, passed away Tuesday, May 19, 2026. She was 100 years old. Dorothy was a former longtime resident of Iron Mountain.
Dorothy was born May 13, 1926, in Norway, Michigan. She later graduated from Norway High School as the class valedictorian before eventually meeting her future husband, Carl Izzo, at his brother’s wedding. The two would marry in 1951.
According to her obituary, Dorothy was known for always putting others first throughout her life:
“Taking care of others was always a priority throughout her long life, whether caring for her children, patients, grandchildren, or eventually great-grandchildren. Because she outlived all but one of her sisters-in-law, she became a parent figure to many nieces and nephews.”
Dorothy also loved sports, especially when family was involved. One of the proudest moments of her life came in 2000 when she watched her son lead Michigan State to a national championship.
Earlier this past season, Dorothy unexpectedly became part of a viral social media moment during Michigan State’s January 20th win over Oregon. During a timeout, cameras caught Tom Izzo joking with player Kur Teng, saying, “Kur, you can’t guard my mother. My mother!”
Following the game, Izzo continued the joke by saying Teng should visit Dorothy in Appleton for a game of one-on-one basketball. What started as a lighthearted comment later turned into a memorable family moment. Tom’s son, Steven Izzo, posted a photo on Instagram (seen below) of Dorothy standing in front of a poster filled with AI-generated images of herself and Teng playing basketball against one another.
“Grandma Izzo got some new wall art in the retirement home,” Steven wrote. “Even at 99, she’s still a bucket.”
Dorothy is survived by her son, Tom (Lupe) Izzo of East Lansing; daughters Mary Bucklin of Marietta, Georgia, and Anne (Mark) Levandoski of Appleton, Wisconsin; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; son-in-law David Bucklin; and sister-in-law Bernita Brisson.
A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.
