Dolores Bernadine "Dee" Worrell 1917 - 2013

WORRELL, LEVASSEUR, LACROIX

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/22/2013 at 10:22:20

Sioux City Journal
10 July 2013

SMITHLAND, Iowa | Dolores B "Dee" Worrell, 96, of Smithland passed away Sunday, July 7, 2013, at her daughter’s home near Smithland surrounded by her loving family.

Services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mapleton, Iowa, with the Rev. Dan Greving officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Salix, Iowa. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today, with a vigil wake service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton. Online condolences to the family can be made at www.armstrongfuneral.com.

Dolores Bernadine Worrell was born on June 5, 1917, the first born baby in the new house on the family farm near Salix, Iowa. She was one of six children born to Richard and Alma (LeVasseur) LaCroix. She grew up in the Salix area and attended Catholic schools there, graduating from St. Joseph Catholic High School in 1935. She then worked at Pelletier’s Store in downtown Sioux City.

On March 13, 1936, Dee was united in marriage to Archie Worrell at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Blencoe, Iowa. The couple made their home in Salix. In 1947, they moved to a farm northeast of Sloan, Iowa, where they lived for five years. In 1952, they moved to their farm which still remains in family operation. Archie passed away on Aug. 14, 2008. In 2009, Dee moved to her daughter Jesse’s home in Sloan and onto her daughter Jean’s home near Smithland this past year.

Dee was a faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oto, Iowa, where she was also active as a Catholic Daughter and with the Altar Society. She volunteered for 13 years as a catechism teacher.

Dee was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She worked on the farm raising her large family, always there for each of them in their activities. She attended countless sporting activities and school events. She even taught some of her children to drive. As a homemaker, she excelled at cooking, sewing, gardening and managing the home. She was well known for her homemade pies, breads, and plum jelly. She felt the music and loved to dance, especially those barn dances years ago with Archie. She loved to visit and was game for everything, ready to hop in the car, always up for a celebration. She was a good friend to all those lucky enough to meet her.

Those surviving members of the family include seven children, Suzanne Shattuck and her husband Wesley of Mapleton, Jean Shattuck and her husband Skip of Smithland, Gary Worrell and his wife Karen of Smithland, Tim Worrell and his wife Renae of Kingsley, Iowa, Jessie Loring of Sloan, Janie Steinhoff and her husband Cliff of Hornick, Iowa, and Russ and Judy Worrell of Smithland; two daughters-in-law, Linda Worrell of Sioux City and Pam Worrell of Denver, Colo.; 35 grandchildren; one special adopted granddaughter, Elizabeth Hepple of Baltimore, Md.; 87 great-grandchildren; 36 great-great-grandchildren; one brother and his wife, Robert and Mary LaCroix of Denver, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews.

Along with her husband, Dee was preceded in death by her parents; three sons, Richard Worrell, Archie Worrell, Jr. and James Francis Worrell in infancy; one grandson, Ted Shattuck; one son-in-law, Jack Loring; two brothers, Raymond and Richard LaCroix; and three sisters, Genevieve Fielden, Leona Lamoureux and Jeanette Dik.