Dorothy Doris (Kennedy) Woessner, 98, formerly of Hot Springs, SD, passed away on July 4, 2018, in Commerce City, CO.
Dorothy was born January 28, 1920, the second of five girls and two boys, to Hearl and Inez (Havens) Kennedy of Fairburn, SD. She attended 8 years of primary school in a 1 room schoolhouse and worked as a live -in maid for several doctors’ families in order to afford to graduate from Rapid City High School in 1938. Dorothy married Clifford Meyer, of Buffalo Gap, SD, in Chadron, Nebraska, in December 1939, and they set up housekeeping on a rented property. Upon the death of her father in law in 1940, they moved to the home ranch with Clifford and her mother in law, Blanche Meyer, where they raised cattle, sheep, hogs and farmed several hundred acres. She had one son, Vaughn, in 1943. She was active outside with livestock and equipment even through the blizzard of 1949 where nobody got to town for 3 months. She served on the local election board and was involved with local school activities. Upon the sudden death of her husband Clifford in 1963, she took over complete operation of the ranch, was a representative for West River Monument Sales, and took care of her mother in law, Blanche, until her death in 1985.
Upon retirement, she moved to Hot Springs. In 1986, she married Harold Woessner. They enjoyed many years of happiness, traveling all over the U.S. including several visits to Hawaii. Upon his death in 2005, she moved to Colorado and took a trip to Ireland. She lived independently in a senior apartment in Commerce City until she fell and broke a hip. Her niece, Tricia, and her husband, Chuck Edgin, invited her to stay with them in Thornton, CO, in 2014 providing her excellent and loving care until November 2017, when she entered a nursing home in Arvada, CO.
Dorothy is survived by a brother, Harley (Jan) in Alabama; a sister, Betty in Rapid City; a son, Vaughn (Marian) in Commerce City; a granddaughter, Penny (John) in Edgewater, CO; a grandson, Marsden (Marie) in Commerce City; along with 5 great grandchildren and 8 great great grandchildren; the youngest born on Dorothy’s birthday 2017.
Memorial services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 27, 2018, at Chamberlain McColley’s Funeral Home in Hot Springs, SD. Burial will be held at a later time.

- McColley’s Funeral Home