Dorothy Mae Johannes

November 27, 1922 - February 3, 2009

Loving wife, wonderful mother, generous grandmother, good friend. Dorothy Mae Herold Johannes was all of these things. Dorothy was born Nov. 27, 1922, in Fort Morgan to William and Minnie Herold. She passed away Tuesday, Feb. 3. Following high school graduation, she attended Barnes Business College in Denver. To pass the time during lunch, business students would often meet for informal dances. It was there one day that Dorothy eyed a young man who was light on his feet. She leaned over the balcony, pointed at him, and said, "I'm going to dance with him." And she did. In fact, she spent the rest of her life dancing with Paul Johannes. Dorothy Herold and Paul Johannes were married Dec. 19, 1942, in Pocatello, Idaho. As for many couples who married during World War II, the honeymoon was short. A few days later Paul returned to his Air Force Base and Dorothy returned to Denver where she lived with her parents and worked at Montgomery Ward and later Lowry Air Force Base. When Paul returned stateside from England in 1945, the young couple moved to Rocky Ford and lived with his parents, Adam and Mollie Johannes, for six months. It was during this time that Dorothy began her lifelong love of cooking and baking. Her mother-in-law taught her how to make berok with just the right amount of pepper, to cut noodles razor thin for noodle soup and butterballs, and to make kirsch kuchen that the family would enjoy on many a Sunday. From then on she was always trying out new recipes and always made sure her family had dessert at the end of meals (a tradition, by the way, that her grandchildren woefully note has not been passed down!) Her family fondly recalls coming home from church every Sunday to a pot roast dinner, perfectly prepared. Dorothy spent her early years as a wife, mother and homemaker, living in Rocky Ford, Hartman, Manzanola, Newdale and returning to Rocky Ford in 1960. She was the mother of five children: Richard, Carol, Linda, Luanne and Jeannie. She was a meticulous seamstress who sewed all of her clothes as well as those of her daughters. She enjoyed painting and arts and crafts. She was an avid fan of the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies. A member of Community Presbyterian Church, she was both a Sunday School teacher and Vacation Bible School teacher. In addition, she was a 4-H leader and Head Start teacher. In the 1960s and 1970s, she worked at J.C. Penney here in Rocky Ford. Dorothy was a lifelong member of Beta Sigma Phi. She looked forward to bridge club meetings, supper club outings, and Elks Club dances. She took up golf and played with the Ladies Golf League until arthritis got the best of her. She was an avid reader, loved most styles of music and played piano by ear. She taught her children to ice skate and play tennis. Dorothy and Paul loved to travel. As members of Ports of Call they visited Canada, Alaska, Disneyworld, Branson, Mo., and Hawaii and many, many other destinations. They cruised the Caribbean and the Panama Canal and visited Germany and Denmark. She tried her luck at the nickel slots in Las Vegas and occasionally the dollar slots. They took many roads trips to visit family. Dorothy is preceded in death by her daughter, Carol Lynn Albertson, her brothers, Karl Herold and Bill Herold, her sister, Mary Ellen Giersch, and her parents, William and Minnie Herold. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Paul Johannes, her son Richard Johannes and his wife, Junita, of Platteville; daughters Linda Greenwood and her husband, Tim, of Toledo, Ohio; Luanne Kadlub and her husband, Brian, of Windsor; and Jeannie Pearson and her husband, Roger, of Fort Collins. She has 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Carol O'Shanny of Merrimack, New Hampshire. A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 6, 2009 at 10:30 AM in the Community Presbyterian Church in Rocky Ford. There will be no viewing as cremation has been effected. There will be a private family inurnment in the Hillcrest Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established with the Community Presbyterian Church or to a charity of the Donor's Choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Ford-Ustick Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.fordustick.com.