Dorothy O. Wilson

Dorothy Wilson, 94, of Topeka, KS passed away January 1, 2014, at McCrite Plaza Retirement Community. She was born September 1, 1919 to Clarence M. and Ruth (Jarvis) Thompson in a sod house on her grandparents' homestead south of Brewster, Nebraska.

Eight of her growing-up years were spent on what is now known as Pressey Park in Nebraska. She attended grades 7-9 in Broken Bow, NE, and 10-12 in Oconto, NE. After graduating from Oconto High School in 1936, she attended Kearney State Teachers College.

In 1940, Dorothy married Charles Redfern, Jr. "Jake". They lived in or near Oconto until 1945 when Jake entered the U.S. Army. While he was overseas, Dorothy was a teacher in a nursery school in a Seattle suburb. After the Army, they lived in Hastings, NE for eight years, and then moved to Oconto, NE where she lived until a year after Jake's death in 1986. Dorothy then moved to Topeka to be near their daughter, Sharron.

In 1995, Dorothy married Robert B. Wilson and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where she lived 10 years until Robert's death in 2005. She again moved to Topeka to be near Sharron.

Besides the year of nursery school, Dorothy taught in rural schools in Oconto; all elementary grades (except for 6th), rural high school for one year during the war, fifth grade in Harvard, NE, second grade for four years in Callaway, NE, and special reading and math in Callaway, NE, for a total of 38 years.

Her memberships in professional organizations included both the Mid-Nebraska Council and the Nebraska State Council of the International Reading Organization, Custer County Teachers' Association, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She had 1 year terms as president of both the Custer County Teachers' and Mid-Nebraska Reading Council. Dorothy was treasurer of the Nebraska State Reading Council for six years. She was also a member of Nebraska Teachers Association where she was on the Communications Commission for one term.

Dorothy was always a supportive church member in places where she lived and she enjoyed music and singing both in church choirs and senior groups. She was church treasurer in Oconto for nine years.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Sharron (Ernie) Schroeder; grandchildren, Brent (Sandy) and Mark Schroeder; great-grandchildren, Amber and Brandon (Trish) Schroeder; great-great-granddaughter, Isabelle; sister, Shirley Worth; three step-sons, Dr. Chuck (Linda) Wilson, Tim (Megan) Wilson, and Robert (Mary) Wilson, Jr. She is preceded in death by her parents, and husbands, Jake and Robert.

Per her wishes, Dorothy was cremated. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 13, 2014 at McCrite Plaza Retirement Community in the St. Andrew's Piano Room. Inurnment will be held at a later date in Nebraska. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either the Callaway Educational Foundation-Dorothy Redfern Scholarship Fund, 101 N. Needham, Callaway, NE 68825, Attn: Brenda Still; the Berryton United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 25, Berryton, KS 66409, or the Oconto United Methodist Women, P.O. Box 117, Oconto, NE 68860.