Dorothy Ilene Abbott, 1922 - 2019

ABBOTT, WHELCHEL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 09:22:22

Sioux City Journal
19 June 2019

Sioux City

Dorothy Ilene Abbott, 96, of Sioux City, crossed over into her heavenly home on Monday, June 17, 2019.

A celebration of life will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Private burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery earlier that morning. Online condolences may be directed to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

She was born on Oct. 7, 1922, to Erven and Rose Whelchel, at home in Sioux City. She was the oldest of 13 children. As such, she learned at an early age that being a caregiver was her calling; a role which she readily accepted as a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother and friend. She loved to dance, she loved people, and most of all she loved her family. She took great joy in being the hostess for all of the functions until very late in life when it became too hard for her. She made almost everyone she came in contact with feel special.

Mother's heart was always with her family. She loved her family fiercely and unconditionally and prayed fervently for them. She accepted and valued everyone. She was a joy to be around and always found a way to lift up your spirits. She was a gracious person and even after her stroke she would try to learn everyone's name and thanked them for the help they were giving her. She will be greatly missed by everyone she touched.

She is survived by eight siblings, LaVonne, Laura, Shirley, JoAnn, Betty, Doug, Karen, and Mert; two sons, Michael (Nancy) and Dennis (Ann); her daughter, Lori (Gregg); her daughter-in-law, Alice (Mark); 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandkids; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Cherry Lynn in 1947; her father, Erven in 1952; her mother, Rose in 1965; her son, Randy in 1981; her husband, Cecil in 1983; her brother, Terry in 1998; her daughter-in-law, Peggy in 2000; her sister, Jean in 2006; her partner, Ted in 2016; her sister, Darlene in 2018; her brother, Jerry in 2019.

She often said that after a loss you have two choices, to lay down, be sad and let the world go by, or get up and go on. She always choose to accept what happened and made the most of what she had. She shared her bright light and love for life. She told us to not mourn too long as she had a wonderful and blessed life.

God used her to touch many lives and she will be greatly missed. Our memories of her will be lasting.