Dorothy Shortridge Baroch, 90
Dorothy Shortridge Baroch, 90, of Great Falls and Bigfork, died of natural causes Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, at Peace Hospice.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. today, Nov. 15, at Hillcrest Lawn Chapel in Great Falls. Burial will be held in Manchester Cemetery beside her husband, Paul, at a later date. Schnider Funeral Home in Great Falls is handling arrangements.
Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.schniderfuneralhome.com.
Dorothy was born on a cattle-and-wheat ranch near Augusta on Aug. 19, 1918, to W. W. and Signa Fay (Crawford) Shortridge. When she was ready to attend school, they built the Shortridge schoolhouse on their property so she and her brother William didn't have to ride their horse the half mile to school, through the deep snow, of course.
Growing up on a small farm was hard for a small girl who worked as hard as her older brother.
She graduated from Augusta High in 1938, and attended nursing school at the Deaconess Hospital in Great Falls.
She married Paul on Dec. 31, 1939.
In 1964, after raising five children, she worked at JC Penney for 15 years and retired in 1979 as merchandise manager of fine jewelry, when her husband, Paul, retired from the railroad. Upon retiring, she and Paul moved to Yellow Bay on Flathead Lake and purchased a cherry orchard.
After Paul's death in 1981, she married Don Torgerson in 1986.
Some of her favorite places were Switzerland, Alaska, New Zealand, Australia, the Panama Canal, Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and Europe.
She sold the orchard/home and moved into Bigfork with husband Don B. Torgerson, owner of Torgerson Real Estate. They enjoyed traveling in their RV and also had many overseas adventures. They spent 20 years at their winter home in Mesa, Ariz.
Dorothy, at the age of 82, flew over the Hawaiian Islands in a helicopter alone and parasailed (brave person). Besides traveling she enjoyed fishing (her first king salmon weighed 45 pounds), bowling, golfing, attending to her roses, and dancing. She also belonged to card clubs and thoroughly enjoyed her grandchildren.
Dorothy moved back to Great Falls in 2007, where she resided at Highgate Senior Living. The family would like to thank the staff at Highgate for the care she received this past year. She loved you all. When you think of her, think of her dancing in Heaven.
Her survivors include Don Torgerson of Bigfork; daughters, Karon Davis of Great Falls, Pamela Tofte and husband, Ellis, of Mount Vernon, Wash., and Paula Carlson of Portland; sons, Bill Baroch of Polson, and James Baroch and wife, Susy, of Great Falls; stepson, Paul E. Ed Baroch Jr., and wife, Donna, of Great Falls; brothers, Dick Shortridge and wife, Bettie, of Great Falls, and Ray Shortridge and wife, Carol, of Fort Collins, Colo.; sister, Ada Fay Tramelli, and husband, Rudy, of Great Falls; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition, she is also survived by Don's children, Mike of Seattle, Randy of Kalispell, Toni of Spokane, Terry of Idaho, and Jim of Bigfork; and grandchildren who treated her wonderfully and whom she really enjoyed.
She was preceded in death by parents, W.W. and Signa Shortridge; husband, Paul Baroch; brothers, William Shortridge and Jim Shortridge; sister, Virginia Brown; and daughter-in-law, Judi Baroch.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice, or Peace Hospice of Montana, 1101 26th St. S., Great Falls, MT 59405.