Dorothy M. McNulty
June 17, 1922 - June 6, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008 2:11 PM PDT
Ontario
Dorothy M. McNulty passed away on June 6, 2008, at Holy Rosary Medical Center, Ontario, with her daughters at her side. In 11 days, she would have been 86 years old.
A celebration of her wonderful life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 14, 2008, at the First Christian Church, 180 N.W. First St., Ontario. At 2:30 p.m., Dorothy will join her husband, Bill, at Valley View Cemetery in Vale.
Dorothy Magdalene was born on June 17, 1922, in Nyssa to Gordon and Pearl (Toombs) Dickson.
Dorothy was raised on a ranch at Ironside, Ore., with one half sister, two brothers and five sisters.
Prior to her marriage, she worked at the Rex Theater in Vale and took care of children in Vale.
In 1949, she eloped and married William J. (Bill) McNulty on Nov. 9 in Beaverton, Ore. Bill had borrowed his parents Kaiser Frazer car. The car broke down between Burns and Bend. Bill hitchhiked to town to get parts to repair the radiator. It was a cold and damp day. On their first day of marriage, Bill got sick with viral pneumonia. Bill’s parents went to Portland to bring them home as Dorothy did not drive at the time. They lived with John and Auda McNulty (Bill’s parents) for several months while Bill recovered.
Bill and Dorothy built a house near Bill’s parents. The ranch was between Vale and Cairo Junction, and the range land was at Ironside. They raised cattle and hay. Bill and Dorothy had two daughters, Yvonne (born Feb. 29, leap year) and Audrey (born July 15, her great-grandfather Griffith’s birthday). Dorothy was busy on the farm cooking, gardening, raising chickens, canning/freezing food and taking care of her family. Bill was always asking someone to stay for a meal, and she managed to have enough for all those at the table. Mom did not appreciate Dad’s one-day trips, no stops but just to eat.
Bill and Dorothy were wonderful dancers, and their favorite song was the Tennessee Waltz. Bill passed away on Dec. 19, 1985. In July 1987, Dorothy moved to Ontario.
Dorothy loved to go shopping, especially at the fabric/craft stores and bazaars. She had an extensive collection of dolls including some from Yvonne’s pen pal in New Zealand.
Decorating for the various holidays, especially for Christmas, gave her great joy. Dorothy took tremendous pleasure in entertaining for the birthdays and holidays by cooking wonderful meals for family and friends. She played the piano by ear. Dorothy and Yvonne enjoyed going to church together (favorite hymn, “Just as I am”) and having lunch afterwards.
Dorothy was a great seamstress (which she started at a very young age) and made clothes for her daughters and grandchildren. She also enjoyed crocheting many doilies and embroidering. The McNulty bazaars were held every two years, and in 2006, three generations participated.
Family includes daughter, Yvonne K. McNulty, Ontario; daughter and son-in-law, Audrey A. and Jim Bowers, Emmett; grandchildren, Andrea K. and Brian Webb, Salt Lake City, Utah, lst Lt. David J. Bowers, 5-82 Field Artillery Rear Detachment Commander, U.S. Army, Ft. Hood, Texas, and Michael J. Bowers, Boise; sisters, Ella Armstrong, Boise, Helen (Bob) Reed, Nampa, Hazel Williams, Bend, Norma Smurthwaite, King City, Ore.; and many cousins, nephews and nieces.
Family gone, but not forgotten, are her husband, Bill; her parents; brothers, Paul and John; half sister, Catherine Taylor; sister, Darlene Dickson; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
We LOVE you, Mom. You will be missed so much.
Memorials may be made to Breast Care Services at MSTI, c/o St. Luke’s Health Foundation, 190 E. Bannock St., Boise ID 83712, to be used for mammograms or Vale murals, Vale library, Vale stone house or a charity of your choice.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lienkaemper-thomason.com.
