Dorothy Dymak

Dorothy Dymak died in Loveland, Colorado on Wednesday morning, August 29, 2018.

Memorial Services will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, September 8, 2018 at the Lewellen United Methodist Church with Pastor Janie Freeman officiating.  She will be laid to rest with her husband in the Ash Hollow Cemetery.

Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home and Cremations in Oshkosh is serving the Dymak Family

In lieu of flowers memorials in Dorothy’s name can be made to: Lewellen Volunteer Fire Dept C/o David Dymak/Fire Chief 19911 Road 56A, Lewellen, NE 68147.

 Dorothy Caroline was born on October 24, 1927 in a sod house 10 miles north of Lewellen, Nebraska to Sylvester Maro and Myrtle Elizabeth (McKune) Smith.  She grew up on their farm with sister Mae Rose and brothers Clifford and Lester.  She loved life on the farm and experienced a wonderful childhood.  She was the resident nurse for sick animals and worked hard at her chores.   Dorothy attended District 50 School until the 8th grade, and her older sister Mae Rose was her teacher for some of that time.  Dorothy then attended Garden City High School in Oshkosh and graduated in 1945. 

Dorothy obtained her Registered Nurse degree in the Cadet Nursing program from Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska in 1948.  While working as a visiting nurse in Omaha, she took care of a gentleman, whose family insisted she meet their son.  This was Joe Dymak, who was the love of her life.  Joe and Dorothy were married on August 20, 1949 at Assumption Church in Omaha and celebrated over 67 years of happy married life.  Joe worked for Safeway Stores and Dorothy continued to work in nursing.  They welcomed 3 boys and 2 girls.  Dorothy was very dedicated to her children’s activities, and held leadership positions in the cub and boy scouts and the PTA.  She was the parent who principals and teachers always called on to organize school functions.  Dorothy and Joe moved to Overland Park, Kansas for Joe’s job in March 1967 and lived there for 25 years; then they found their dream home on Lake McConaughy in Ogallala, Nebraska in 1989.  They continued to live in both places until Joe’s retirement in 1991, when they moved to Ogallala permanently. 

Dorothy and Joe enjoyed their lake home immensely.   They hosted 2 weddings there and many reunions.  They loved the visits from friends and family members, and their home always had an “open” sign on the door.  They were very adventurous, and even lived in Saudi Arabia from 1998-2000, while Joe was a construction project manager for a line of supermarkets.  They travelled extensively, seeing 48 of the United States, Europe, Mexico, Jamaica, and their favorite—15 fishing trips to Costa Rica.  Their 50th Wedding Anniversary trip was featured on a televised fishing program with their friend Harold Ensley.  Dorothy loved celebrating holidays and birthdays with friends and family.  She enjoyed her 80th birthday party at her home; it was attended by neighbors and relatives from even distances far away and friends from nursing school.  Every Christmas Dorothy made many, many batches of peanut brittle for family, neighbors, and friends near and far. 

Dorothy was always the family nurse.  Her children complained that they never got to get stitches for cuts because Mom would just patch them up with butterfly bandages.  Dorothy took care of her father, “Papa” Sylvester in his later years, and he died in her arms.  She also took care of her brother-in-law Vernon King, and watched out for her sister Mae Rose and her mother Myrtle. Her children often called on her for medical issues, and she was always ready with the correct and sensible answer.  She also looked out for several neighbors.  Dorothy was a wonderful wife, a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother; and a caring and true friend and neighbor.  She will be greatly missed by all those who knew her.

Dorothy lost her beloved and adored husband Joe, who died on his 88th Birthday, January 6, 2017.  She is survived by her children Joe, Kent, Kathy Ann, Mary Sue, David Paul, and their families.