Dorothy Mae (Walter) Tuttle, 12 Dec 1921 – 20 Jul 2020

TUTTLE, WALTER, RINEHART, HALL, KETTERLING, LEIMBERER, GROVERT

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 7/30/2020 at 12:46:06

Dorothy Mae Walter Tuttle, 98, of Scottish Rite Park, Des Moines, Iowa, passed away July 20, 2020. She was a dedicated wife, mother, teacher and leader, a caregiver, a survivor, an adventurer and a blessed daughter of her Father God.

She was born on the family farm in Victor, Iowa, on Dec. 12, 1921. After graduating from Victor High School, she attended Teacher's College at Cedar Falls for one year and, at the age of 18, she taught at a one-room rural school in Iowa County for one year. From college she went to teach elementary school for four years at the Newhall Consolidated School.

It was in Newhall where she met David who was home from college waiting to be called to the Navy Air Corps. Dorothy married David Tuttle on Oct. 21, 1945, at the Victor (Iowa) Methodist Church and they went to Iowa State University, where she worked as a dental assistant while he was enrolled in college.

They applied for adoption of a child and, in 1951, received a daughter, Marianna. Two weeks later they left for summer school in Greeley, Colo., where David worked on his master's degree and Dorothy took care of their daughter. In 1952, they moved to Des Moines where Dorothy started substitute teaching.

In 1958, they adopted Mark. That summer they went back to summer school in Greeley where David was working on his doctoral program and Dorothy proceeded to finish her undergraduate degree in education. After substitute teaching for 10 years, Dorothy began teaching full time in 1962.

Following her retirement, she traveled throughout the world. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Golden K, PEO Chapter KD (50-year member), and volunteered at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines for more than 25 years. She was a very active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years, having been an elder, a deacon, and a member of the choir for many of those years.

Dorothy had a strong devotion to family as evident in everything she did. A loving and compassionate soul, she especially adored her nieces and nephews and all their children! She always was so very polite and gentle and never complained, even in her final days.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, David Chester Tuttle; parents, Edward Albert and Mary Elizabeth (Rinehart) Walter; her sisters, Grace Eleanor Ketterling and Thelma Kathleen Leimberer; and her brother, Ralph Orville Walter.

She is survived by daughter Marianna (Tuttle) Hall and son Mark Tuttle, both of Des Moines. Other survivors include her brother-in-law, Dale Grovert; as well as several nieces, nephews and their families.

The family will be available to greet friends at the visitation from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, July 24, Iles Westover Chapel, 6337 Hickman Rd., Des Moines, Iowa. Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced. A private funeral will be held Saturday, July 25, at Westover Funeral Home. Dorothy will be buried next to David in Norway Cemetery in Norway, Iowa (a town founded by David's great grandfather).

For those unable to attend the funeral, a livestream link will appear at 9:50 a.m. Saturday, just prior to the service, on Dorothy's obituary page at www.ilescares.com, where you may also leave online condolences.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Blank Children's Hospital, Youth Homes of Mid-America or Hope Ministries Door of Faith, all in Des Moines.

Published in The Gazette on July 23, 2020.