By Kevin Denke
“Just grand!”
Those were the words Dorothy Grace (Welsh) Dority often used to celebrate the sunshine, comforts of being home, and accomplishments of her family. Dorothy, 91, passed away peacefully in her sleep Valentines Day, Feb. 14, 2011.
Dorothy was born Jan. 20, 1920, to E.P. “Gene” and Minnie Welsh in Fort Lupton, the fifth of seven children, Ruth, Robert “Bob,” George, Min, Clif, and Evelyn “Peggy.” After graduating from Fort Lupton High School in 1938, Dorothy moved to Ogallala, Neb., where she met and fell in love with Lawrence Edward Dority. The couple married Aug. 23, 1943, in Macon, Ga., before Lawrence shipped off with the U.S. Army Air Corps to join the war in the Pacific.
After he graduated from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Lawrence joined with Dorothy in settling in Fort Lupton and raising five children in the same house in which Dorothy was born and raised. In 1995, the couple moved to Grand Junction, where Dorothy met and came to love her new friends as much as she did her “Golden Girls” in Fort Lupton.
Dorothy and Lawrence were parishioners at St. William Catholic Church in Fort Lupton, where Dorothy was an active member of the Altar and Rosary societies. Lawrence was a State Farm agent with an office in Brighton, where Dorothy sometimes handled bookkeeping duties. Lawrence and Dorothy’s home was at the center of the Welsh Farm, parts of which were sold off to form much of the city of Fort Lupton.
Dorothy enjoyed spending time in the Colorado mountains, flower gardening, working hard and creating relationships with everyone she met. Honor and unconditional love were at the very core of Dorothy’s being, as she tirelessly cared for her parents, husband, children, friends and neighbors. Her family and friends are blessed to have shared in her long and happy life.
Dorothy was preceded in death by a young daughter, Kathleen Diane Dority; her husband; and son, William “Bill” Matthew (Kim) Dority.
Dorothy is survived by a brother, Clif (Edie) Welsh, of Laporte; sister, Peggy (Jay) Cramer, of Brighton; son, Timothy “Tim” Allen (Dena) Dority, of Casa Grande, Ariz.; two daughters, Elizabeth “Beth” Ann (Frank) Keller, of Grand Junction, and Virginia “Gini” Ann (Randy) Keller, of Fruita; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral Mass was Feb. 22 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grand Junction. Callahan-Edfast Mortuary handled arrangements.
