On November 16, 2020 at the age of 95 years and 12 days, Dorothy (Dotty) Ann Harper Likely, slipped away from this world as gently as she traveled it. Dotty traveled light because she carried no baggage, neither resentment nor regret, and because she gave away all her love.

A member of the Greatest Generation, Dotty’s youth was bookended by the Great Depression and World War II. Raised on a purebred hog farm outside Ames, Iowa, she was one of eight children. Dotty was an athlete who loved foot races, horseback riding, swimming and basketball. She was a natural acrobat who turned her last cartwheel at age 64, and more than kept up with the five brothers who surrounded her in age before the birth of her two younger sisters. In addition to church and family, Dotty’s core values were molded by her participation in 4-H from the age of 10 until she graduated from high school. She internalized the four “h’s” in the clover leaf logo – head, heart, hands and health and 4-H was the classroom where she studied for her life goal of being a wife and mother. She raised litters of pigs, up to 700 chickens at a time, studied home furnishings and sewing, cooking, gardening, food preservation, and financial management while developing leadership skills and working cooperatively, all while polishing the warm and cheerful disposition, hospitality and generosity for which she was known.

Dotty’s work ethic helped her excel in school, and she was able to develop her musical gifts by singing and by playing piano, organ and trombone.

Dotty’s husband Chuck began pursuing her at a Sunday School picnic when she was three and he was six by proclaiming, “Look at me. I can eat chicken bones.” The deal was sealed more than a decade later when she jumped off a hayride wagon and broke his nose. The two became engaged when she graduated from high school and married the following summer after she spent a year at MacMurray College and he was stationed in New Mexico with the Army Air Corps.

Her dream of being a minister’s wife was realized when Chuck was called to the ministry after his discharge and they moved with their young family to New England where Chuck studied at Boston University. Chuck’s fondness for rural ministry lured them back to small towns in Iowa and Missouri for his career and Dotty served by his side. The pair had six children, but sadly lost two sons, one in infancy and the other at 13 years. These sorrows only deepened Dotty’s faith and her sunny outlook ultimately prevailed.

Once her children were in school Dotty returned to the workforce, first in the Crawford County public health nurses’ office, briefly in retail, and spending the last 15 years of her work life as a caseworker with the MO Department of Social Services. During her 40 years in Steelville Dotty was active in community service, serving on the board of Central Ozark Mental Health Services and as chair of the board when it became FOCUS (Family Oriented Counseling Services).

Those years also provided an opportunity to resume her interests in sketching, painting and photography. A truck accident crippled Chuck in 1985 and she became his chauffer and caregiver for the last 19 years of his life. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary shortly before he died.

After Chuck died in 2004 Dotty sold their acreage in Steelville and moved to St. Louis to make her home with daughter Diana. They were briefly able to continue some of the fall travels that the three of them had enjoyed while Chuck was alive, visiting Nova Scotia, the Pacific Northwest, Virginia, Florida and New Orleans. Dotty was active at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church and in water aerobics at the “Y”.

An aortic valve replacement in 2006 marked the beginning of her cognitive decline, but even as she was overtaken by dementia and the eventual failure of her valve, she remained sweet, funny, loving and grateful for her care, declaring each morning a beautiful day no matter the weather. Although she was raised believing that animals belonged in a barn, she adored her grandcat Bobbi and befriended Bobbi’s successor Coco.

Dotty was preceded in death by her husband Rev. Charles Douglas Likely, by sons Mark and Nathan, and by four brothers. She leaves behind her surviving children Diana Likely of the home, David (Carol) Likely, Ironton, MO; Joan (Steve) Ray, Enterprise, AL; Leslie (David) Swank, Cedar City, UT; eight grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren plus one in progress, two great great grandchildren, one brother and two sisters.

Dotty’s aspirational Bible verse was Proverbs 31: 27-29 upon which she built her entire life and which she hoped could be read at her passing:

“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’”

He did and we do.