Dorothy Anderson 1917 - 2015

Dorothy Virginia Anderson was born to Arthur B. Moore and Edna (Trumbley) Moore on August 29, 1917 in Boston, MA. She lived in many cities around the United States including Detroit, Des Moines, Omaha and Lincoln. She graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, IA in 1935. After graduation, she worked for several jewelry stores.
During World War II, she trained as a pilot and became a Lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol. Dorothy married Garwood Anderson of Wahoo on March 17, 1943 in the Methodist church in Omaha. They had twin sons in 1945 and moved to Wahoo in June of 1946.
Dorothy joined the Wahoo Saddle Club and was on the board when they decided to start the PRCA Rodeo. It is still going 60 years later. Dorothy served on the board for the Wahoo Centennial in 1970. She served as Headquarters Chairman and designed the Centennial Plate and the Souvenir Book.
Dorothy was an avid bowler. Her bowling team, Anderson Motorettes, won several city tournaments. She was the first woman bowler in Wahoo to bowl a 600. She was very active with fund raising for J.F.K. College. She was chairman several times for their Flee Market fundraiser. For this, she received the Ak-Sar-Ben Good Neighbor Award.
One of the most important things Dorothy did was raise and show Boxer dogs. Her kennel, Willow Ridge, was registered with the American Kennel Club for 40 years. She raised 21 champions and sent dogs to Canada, Mexico, the Phillipines, and Japan. She also raised Palamino Quarter Horses. She was a lifetime member of the American Boxer Club, the Cornhusker Kennel Club, the Nebraska Kennel Club and the founder of the Missouri Valley Boxer Club which just held its 41st AKC dog show.
Dorothy and her friend Betty Patzloff were co-chairmen of Wahoo’s Q125 Centennial, Wahoo’s part of the Mormon-Oxbow Trail Celebration, and Founders of the Wahoo Lighted Christmas Parade which, at one time, had 27 lighted entries.
Dorothy worked for the Wahoo Newspaper in the advertising department for 27 years. She retired in 2009. She was a 56 year member of the SAT_RA Temple 59 of the Daughters of the Nile, member of the Saunders County Historical Society, 68 year member of the American Legion Auxiliary and a 68 year member of the First Congregational Church.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her stepfather Burt Merner, her brother Gil Merner, her sister Patricia Cruickshank, and her husband Garwood.
She is survived by her son Garwood and wife Peggy of Loveland, CO, son Gaylord and wife Deyo of Wahoo; six grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, August 5, at the First Congregational Church in Wahoo. Visitation will be Tuesday evening, 4-8 pm at the funeral home. Interment will be at Sunrise Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the family for a later designation