Dorothy Terrell, 85

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Dorothy Louise Terrell, 85, died in her sleep Friday morning Dec. 8, 2006, after a long illness at the Elmore Medical Center and Nursing Home in Mountain Home. Her sons, Jim and Tom, were at her side.

A viewing was held Tuesdayat Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Funeral services will be held today, Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Ross Funeral Home and burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain Home.

Dorothy was born Oct. 16, 1921, at Bruneau, the oldest child of Laurie and Faye Lahtinen. She attended schools in Bruneau and Mountain Home, and was an outstanding student and athlete.

She loved baseball, playing as a pitcher, and graduated from Mountain Home High in 1939 as class valedictorian.

She also attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell, where she excelled in math.

After her three sons were old enough, she started a career in Civil Service at Mountain Home Air Force Base, a career that spanned nearly 35 years and included achieving the position as Vice President of Finance.

During her career she also found time to become an avid bowler, and a life member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International, a women's philanthropic service organization.

In addition she served 27 years on the Board of Directors of Pioneer Federal Credit Union where she was elected to several board positions.

She held offices in the local bowling association as well as the state association, and in 1974 was inducted into the State Bowling Hall of Fame.

She was a member of the local Alpha Omicron chapter of the sorority for 50 years where she held all chapter offices, and in addition held offices in District II and the Idaho State Council. She was especially recognized for the hundreds of hours of her time that she donated to the chapter's philanthropic projects.

Dorothy found time to relax at her two favorite pastimes, quilting and fishing. But above all she found time to help family and friends with whatever tasks or problems they needed help with, her family said. "And she made the time to be a terrific mom," they added.

Dorothy is survived by: her three sons, James, Robert, and Thomas, seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, brothers and sisters James Lahtinen, Elizabeth Bernadas, Laurine Day, Virginia and her husband Kent Kohring, and Ellie and her husband Bill Dudley, and David and his wife Barbara Lahtinen, special sister-in-law Rosie Hopkins, and 52 nieces and nephews.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Jake, her sister Eileen, and a grandson.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers to make donations in Dorothy honor to: Alzheimer's Research Center, Regions Foundation, c/0 Rost Funeral Home, 500 N. 18th East St., Mountain Home, ID 83647.