Dorothy Mary Voermans, 91

Dorothy Mary Voermans, 91, peacefully passed away on June 30, 2010, in Whitefish. She was born Aug. 22, 1918, in Elbowoods, N.D., the eldest of Margaret and William Voigt s seven children. Dorothy attended school at the Indian Mission in Elbowoods. In 1935, after hard times and drought, the family loaded up the Model A and a trailer fashioned like a covered wagon and headed west. Friends in this area welcomed them Times were tough and Dorothy worked for several families as a nanny and hired girl, sharing her wages with her folks. One job was working for Nellie Van Aken Raiber who just happened to be the sister of Andy Voermans. They were married June 10, 1939 and Dorothy joined Andy at the Meadow Brook Dairy east of Whitefish, where they later transitioned into farming. They raised their three children there, Marlene (Dwayne) Becker, Margaret Margo Voermans, and Andrew Bill (Marsha) Voermans. After Andy passed away in 1968, Dorothy remained active on the farm. She spent many wonderful days with grandchildren Douglas Stevens, Kevin Becker, Ryan Voermans, Cody (Dulcie) Voermans, and Holly (Tom) Manning; and her great-grandchildren, Lane and Kyler Voermans, and Mason Manning. Dorothy was preceded in death by Andy; grandson, Ryan Voermans; son-in-law, Jerry Stevens; and siblings, Irene (Bud) Knapton, Hildegard (Bob) McClurg, William (Dee) Voigt, Vincent (Merle) Voigt, Norbert (Flossy) Voigt, and Leona (Pat) Frerich. Dorothy loved to shop, walk, hook rugs and crewel embroider, and travel, until macular degeneration limited them. Talking books became very important to her and the Montana Talking Book Library sent her over 3400 books in nearly 20 years. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Montana Talking Book Library, P.O. Box 201800, Helena, MT 59620-1800, or a charity of your choice. A visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, July 5, at the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish. A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, July 5, at the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 6, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Whitefish, Father Pat Patton officiating. Burial will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens in Kalispell.