Dorothy Wolters

Dorothy Clara (Schmidt) Wolters was born July 23, 1927 in Potter, KS. She was the 5th of 9 children born to John Traugott and Elsie L (Herderhorst) Schmidt. She entered her eternal rest on September 24, 2019 in Garden City, KS.

At the age of 10, Dorothy moved with her family to the Trinity Lutheran Church parsonage north of Ludell, KS. She graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1944. After graduation, Dorothy went with her older sister, Elsie, to Ft. Wayne, IN. Here they lived with their grandparents and Dorothy worked for GE doing war-effort work.

Following the War, Dorothy married Clarence J. “Bud” Wolters on November 1, 1946. They were married 40 years before his death in November of 1986. To this union were born 4 sons and 1 daughter.

Dorothy and Bud lived on the farm north of Atwood where they milked cows and raised wheat, milo, cattle, and, most of all, their children. Dorothy always had a big garden and canned or froze much of the summer bounty. Through the years, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren loved coming to the farm, helping with the chores and farm work and eating Dorothy’s great cooking. Her bread, dinner rolls, and cinnamon rolls were legendary. Her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and others were recipients of her finely crafted sewing projects, which included quilts for many.

Dorothy lived her Christian faith in service to many. She served in many ways at Grace Lutheran Church and, later, at Redeemer Lutheran Church. She cooked and sewed, sang in the choir, and taught young students, including a group from Beamgard Learning Center (BLC), about their Savior.

Dorothy and Bud were foster parents for several students from the BLC. They also hosted several international visitors in their home for extended visits.

Dorothy enjoyed playing cards, board games, and word games. Scrabble was her favorite. Many discovered that she was a formidable Scrabble opponent. She and Bud were members of a card club that met monthly for more than 30 years.

For many years Dorothy was a member of Fun and Facts EHU. She took a job as a census-taker for the 1970 census. She served on the election board. She did substitute teaching in the school and worked as a substitute secretary for the Extension office.

Dorothy became an EMT in 1987 and served on the Rawlins County EMS volunteer rotation one day a week until she was 77. She also provided help and comfort to many families as a hospice volunteer.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Milton and Luther Schmidt, and sisters, Ruth Lovett, Elsie Fry, Mildred Morris, and Winnie Lewis.

She is survived by her sister, Joan Engle, of Fairview, TX; brother, John Schmidt, of Stevens Point, WI; children, Doug (Pattie), Atwood, KS, Rick (Cathy), Hugoton, KS, Bev (Ed) Schmidtke, Morristown, MN, Mark (Brenda), Atwood, KS and John (Jo) Manhattan, KS; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation is 4-7:00 p.m. Sunday, September 29, 2019, at Baalmann Mortuary, Atwood. Funeral Service is 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 30, 2019, at the Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, Atwood, with burial in Fairview Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to LWML or God’s Little Saints Preschool, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com