Dorothy Jane Fehring

Dorothy Fehring was born to John Homer and Jennie May (Mitchell) Hetherington on a farm southeast of Morrison, OK on January 6, 1928.  She was the New Year’s baby for Morrison in 1928.  Her paternal grandparents had settled in Stillwater shortly after the 1889 Land Run and made a successful claim during the 1893 Land Run east of Morrison.  She grew up listening to stories of her grandfather, “Whispering Charlie” Hetherington’s exploits with neighboring claim jumpers and harboring outlaws during the early days of the Oklahoma Territory.
 
            She moved with her parents and two brothers, Hugh Robert and Homer Gordon, to Valley Center, Kansas when she was one year old.  She attended a 2-room country school. Dorothy told many stories about growing up in Kansas with her parents and brothers in a small cabin near the Little Arkansas River.  Her stories inspired her grandchildren to interview her for their school History Day projects.  She lived through the Dust Bowl and remembered listening to the infamous “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast with her family on their new radio in 1938.  She remembered the day Pearl Harbor was bombed and her brothers leaving to enlist and later serve in the Pacific Theater during World War II.  She always laughed when she told the story of how she and her mother saved their ration points for steak to serve when her brothers were home only to hear they were sick of eating steak on board ship—they served fried chicken instead after that.
 
            Dorothy graduated from Valley Center High School in 1946 and had many happy memories of friends in and around Valley Center.  She attended the Valley Center HS Reunions and reconnected with old classmates every year until her health prevented her from attending the past couple years. She was a charter member of the Valley Center American Legion Auxiliary.
 
She married Alvin Lee Rhoades on February 27, 1949 in Valley Center, KS.  To this union four children were born; Sammie Lee, John Arthur, Nellie Loraine, and Betty Louise.  The family lived in Medicine Lodge, KS and Russel, KS while Alvin worked in the oil fields.  Alvin passed away on June 17, 1961.
 
Dorothy moved to Morrison to be closer to family and raised her four young children as a single mother.  She furthered her education at Oklahoma State University for two years and worked at various office jobs in Morrison and Stillwater while raising her family.  She was a member of the Morrison First Baptist Church, her name appearing on the early Cradle Rolls in the church records.  Dorothy married Ralph L. Fehring on July 3, 1968 and to this union two children were born; Cynthia Jane and Robert Lewis.  She sewed many outfits, raised a large garden, canned vegetables, and made sand plum jelly every summer while all six kids were growing up. She also worked at Swan Rubber Company and OG&E Sooner Station retiring in 1993.
 
Dorothy was active in raising her children by volunteering in school programs, 4-H, serving as a Boy Scout Den Mother, attending basketball games and wrestling matches. She enjoyed watching her grandkids play baseball, football, and basketball as well as listening to band concerts and helping with local and county 4-H activities and school projects.  She stayed very active in her golden years eating lunch and playing pitch at the Morrison Senior Citizens, participating in the Oak Grove OHCE, traveling with the American Legion Auxiliary, and visiting with the Morrison Coffee Club on Wednesday mornings.  She was selected as Morrison Senior Citizen of the Year in August 2017 for her years of service to that organization.
 
She was predeceased by her parents, brothers, both husbands and one daughter in law.  She is survived by her children and their spouses; Sammie (Josie) Rhoades, John Rhoades, Nellie (Bill) Thomas, Betty (Terry) French, Cindy (Steve) Carr, Robert Fehring;  thirteen grandchildren, Maria Rhoades, Christine Rhoades, Jenifer (Day) Zimbelman, Kenny (Brittany) Rhoades, Stevan (Lindsay) Cervantes, Jesse (Amber) Jim, Kelby (Tracey) Stewart, James Stewart, Henry Carr, Haley Carr, Bradley Carr, Ryan Fehring and Jacob Fehring;  twenty six great grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter.  
 
Her funeral will be held Saturday, July 28th at 10:00am at the Morrison Hilltop Country Church with burial to follow at the Morrison Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 26, 2018 from 9:00am to 5:00pm and on Friday, July 27, 2018 from 9:00am to 8:00pm at the funeral home. Arrangements are under the care of Dighton-Marler Funeral Home of Stillwater.
 
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Morrison Community Development Association:  MCDA c/o First National Bank and Trust Company, PO Box 177, Morrison OK 73061.