Dorothea Hornor

Dorothea Hornor, age 99, of Storm Lake, Iowa, formerly of Fonda, Iowa died Thursday, March 31, 2016 at her home in Storm Lake. Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at the United Church of Christ in Fonda. Burial will follow in the Cedar Cemetery in Fonda. Visitation will take place Wednesday, April 6, 2016 from 4-7:00 p.m. with an Eastern Star service held at 6:30 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Born on March 26, 1917, the daughter of Claude and Lizzie (Hurless) Ogden of Fonda, Iowa, Dorothea grew up in Fonda and graduated from Fonda Public High School. She attended Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and, upon receiving her teaching degree, she taught Kindergarten through 7th grade in a one-room country school outside of Fonda for 6 years. On May 18, 1941 Dorothea and Lowell Paul Hornor were united in marriage at the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake with a dinner following at the Bradford Hotel. Dorothea and Lowell made their home on the Hornor Dairy Farm outside of Fonda. In 1942, after Lowell joined the Coast Guard, Dorothea joined him at his station in San Francisco, California, where she first worked as a waitress and then later at a bank, both in the Financial District. Their first daughter, Jill, was born in San Francisco in 1945, and the family returned to the farm in September after WWII had ended. Daughter Judith (Judy) was born in 1948. They left the Hornor farm early in 1958 to farm near Pomeroy, Iowa and son Paul was born one day after the move. In addition to being a homemaker and raising their family, Dorothea worked diligently to maintain a large vegetable garden, tend many flower beds, and raise chickens. From the time she was married, until her passing, her kitchen was her favorite place to be! Dorothea had a deep faith and was a Sunday School teacher at the Congregational Church in Fonda (now United Church of Christ) for many years. She was actively involved with Eastern Star for 50 years, the Qui Vive women’s group in Fonda and Pomeroy, and her children’s school and 4-H programs and activities. Lowell and Dorothea always found time for ballroom dancing with friends at the Twin Lakes Alhambra Ballroom and at the Cobblestone in Storm Lake. After Lowell’s retirement from farming, they and Paul moved to Vincent where Lowell managed the Feed Mill for the Farmers Elevator and Dorothea worked at the Vincent Bank. After Paul graduated from high school, Lowell and Dorothea moved to an acreage outside of Albert City, at which time Dorothea took continuing education in typing and bookkeeping and began working in the office of Holmstrom Electric in Newell. She continued to find time to enjoy gardening and flowers and helped Lowell maintain a groomed acreage. In 2000, after 25 years of rural life, Dorothea and Lowell purchased a home in Storm Lake where they enjoyed a beautiful life together and where friends and family visited often. Dorothea held membership in the Genealogy Society and was active in Pocahontas and Storm Lake for many years. She served as historian for the Stevens/Hornor annual reunion. Left to cherish Dorothea’s memory are daughters Jill Duden, Pleasant Hill, IA and Judy (Dean) Hayes, Bellevue, NE and son Paul (Sue Burke), Storm Lake, IA; grandchildren John P. Duden, West Des Moines, IA, Alan (Whitney) Hayes, Omaha, NE, Jenna Duden (Jeff) Buzzard, Seattle WA and Angela Hayes (Brad) Wilhelm, Wichita, KS; great grandchildren Benjamin Buzzard, Joshua Wilhelm, Presley Hayes and Harper Hayes; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Dorothea in death were husband, Lowell, in 2013; sisters Vivian (in infancy), Lois, Fern, Mildred and Floribel; brothers Donald, Clarence, Darel and Paul (in early youth). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.

Dorothea Hornor

March 26, 1917 - March 31, 2016