Dorothy M. Kuhns of
Chesterton, Indiana passed away peacefully on January 11, 2017 in the
comfort of her home and embraced by the loving care of her family. She was
99 years old.
She was born July
20, 1917 in Toledo, Illinois, the daughter of Herman Brown Ross and Mabel
Minnie Ross.
Dorothy was born
into a hard-working farm family that moved frequently throughout the Midwest
in search of better opportunity. Difficult times forced her to abort her
formal education after her freshman year of high school in order to help
support the family. She ventured out on her own at age 16 and supported
herself during the Depression and World War II years with a variety of jobs,
including as a housemaid and waitress in Casey, Illinois, where she lived
and worked during the war years. Dorothy met the love of her life, William
S. Kuhns, in 1938 and they were married on March 4, 1946, shortly after
William’s return from the European Theater of WW II. They relocated from the
farmlands of southern Illinois to the industrial city of Gary, Indiana, and
raised their family in their new home, relocating to Chesterton in 1955.
They were inseparable for the last 71 years.
Dorothy enjoyed
gardening, sewing and baking pies and especially enjoyed her travels with
William. They were fortunate that they were able to visit all 50 states in
retirement and they dearly loved venturing down every interesting-looking
road they encountered. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Most of all,
Dorothy enjoyed basking in the glow of her family, especially her many
grandchildren, great-grandchildren and recently a great-great granddaughter.
Dorothy leaves her
loving memories to be cherished by her beloved husband, William, and three
sons and their wives: Jerry and Betty Ward of Chesterton, IN, Phillip and
Debra Kuhns of Wheatfield, IN and Donald and Marion Kuhns of Manhattan
Beach, CA.
Other survivors
include grandchildren Angela Bernotus, Deborah (David) Marshall, Jacqueline
Kuhns, Kimberly Kuhns, Michael Kuhns, Rhonda Miller, Rob (Dawn) Drlich, Stan
(Linda) Kuhns, and Toby Kuhns. Great-grandchildren include: Alicia Marshall,
Alyana Drlich, Chelse Kuhns, Collin Miller, Dean (Jessica) Jackson, Jake
(Ashley) Kuhns, Jessica (Travis) Yoder, Joshua Drlich, Kayla Miller, Landon
Bernotus and Payton Bernotus. In addition, Dorothy had a great-great
granddaughter, Sara Yoder.
Dorothy is also
survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Herbert and Jackie Ross, and
sisters Kathleen Durnell, Marjorie Lucky and Norma Bacon.
She was preceded in
death by her parents, brother Floyd Ross and sister Ruth Stewart, and a
great-grandson, Daniel.
Visitation will be
held on Saturday, January 14, 2017, from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at
Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home, 517 Broadway, Chesterton, IN 46304.
Visitation will
also take place on Monday, January 16, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00
a.m., at Markwell & Sons Funeral Home, 200 N. Central Avenue, Casey, IL,
62420, followed by funeral services at 12:00 p.m., with Pastor G. Thomas
Jones officiating. Burial will take place at Casey Cumberland Cemetery,
Casey, IL.