Dorothy Jane Oberlink 1922-2012

OBERLINK GATTON RICE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/14/2012 at 20:12:08

Sioux City Journal
March 22, 2012

SIOUX CITY -- Dorothy Jane Oberlink, 89, of Sioux City died Saturday, March 17, 2012, in St. Cloud, Minn.

Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Berkemier Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Sioux City, with the Rev. Tanya Sherill officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be noon until service time Saturday at the funeral home.

Dorothy was born on Sept. 14, 1922, in Worthington, Minn., to Lemuel and Mary (Gatton) Rice. She moved with her family to Sioux City in 1928. She graduated from Central High School in 1940 and received an elementary teaching certificate from Nebraska State Teacher's College in Wayne, Neb., in 1943.

She taught school in Hudson, S.D., North English, Iowa, and Emmetsburg, Iowa, before marrying Merton F. Oberlink in Huntington Park, Calif., on Sept. 15, 1946. They farmed in South Dakota for several years before coming to Sioux City in 1952. She earned a B.A. in education from Morningside College in 1972 and taught at McCook Elementary School in North Sioux City for 20 years, retiring in 1986.

She was a member of Riverside United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School for many years and was active in the Women's Fellowship. She was a Girl Scout leader for many years. She enjoyed gardening, traveling and was an avid reader.

Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Maribeth Swieczkowski-Knibloe (Doug) of Saint Cloud, Minn., Lanette (Dennis) Hankins of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Marta (David) Pedersen of Flower Mound, Texas; five grandchildren, Michelle Winslow, Stephanie (Eric) Grahek (their children, Mitchell and Cullen), Chad (Kristen Comstock) and Shane Hankins, and Christopher Pedersen.

Preceding her in death was her husband; her parents; her stepfather, Donald R. Lee; granddaughter Traci Hankins; and son-in-law, Paul Swieczkowski.

Memorials are preferred to the Riverside United Methodist Church.