Dottie Jean Winbolt

Dottie was born in Broken Bow, Nebraska in 1940 to Lawrence and Beatrice Jones. She was the youngest of four and her birth name really was Dottie, since everyone asks.

Even as a child Dottie had a beautiful voice, as it seemed to be a prerequisite for being a Jones. She and her siblings sang and played instruments for the local radio station with their dad. She recently told us that her mom actually had the most beautiful voice, but she did not tend to sing with the group as her focus was on being a dedicated schoolteacher. She had so many fond memories of her childhood, with a close-knit family that included many aunts, uncles and cousins. They gathered often and made beautiful music and memories together.

Dottie had a love of learning and graduated from Broken Bow High School. Shortly thereafter, she saw the love of her life and confided to a friend that she was going to marry him. She was right and married Swede Winbolt on September 27, 1959.

They started their family in October of 1960 with Tammy. Tim and Tina were born in 1962 and 1965 respectively before the family moved to LaVista in 1967. Dottie worked at Bakers in Ralston for many years before choosing to stay home and often babysat neighborhood children.

Swede and Dottie raised their children, welcomed grandchildren and great grandchildren in that home. Although a quiet home, it was never without fun or a dog. Card games including Blackjack and Nurtz were family favorites and got quite competitive. Animals, whether those who lived in the house or in the yard, were always treated with love. They had well-behaved dogs that seemed to be trained without effort and treated as very important family members. Dottie had even trained the squirrels to come and take treats from her hand.

Dottie’s passions were being an amazing wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved holding and rocking babies, and the whole family benefited from her ability to calm a fussy child.

As a grandmother, Dottie decided she wanted to further her education and earned an associate’s degree in accounting from Bellevue University. She had previously and continually managed the accounting for Swede’s construction business, as well as the household. But after receiving her degree, she also worked for Wright and Wilhelmy Co. and Regal Printing. After retirement, she volunteered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Papillion.

Dottie is best remembered for her quiet and nurturing nature and her love of family and especially kids. Her baking was out of this world with her famous Sweet Foundation Rolls, a favorite of immediate and extended family. As children, we would come home from school to enjoy hot baked cookies, she would rotate making our favorites. Dinners were home-cooked and would draw us back into the house after playing outdoors. Our childhood was simple and meaningful, if we missed out on anything, we didn’t know it. We had an amazing home life.

Dottie played the piano by ear but would rarely grace us by singing while others were around, humming was more likely. More recently, a few of us were blessed to hear her singing again, her natural gift as strong as ever. Gardening, indoors and outdoors, gave her great joy. She took great pleasure in finding an abandoned or almost dead plant and giving it a new life.

Beatrice died in 1969 and was missed by Dottie every single day. She remained devoted to her dad, her sister Darlene and brothers Darrell and Donnie. She has been reunited with her parents and siblings now. We are sure Heaven had and continues with a music-filled celebration upon her arrival, with many instruments and dancing. Her reunion with her beloved Swede, brings us to tears of joy.

Dottie had a servant heart and was generous with what she had. She could sew a complete outfit in a day, her baking would result in bread rising and placed all around the kitchen (top of the fridge was a favorite warm space), weeds didn’t stand a chance in her garden, the house was impeccably clean and always smelled of baked goods.

Dottie was preceded in death by her adoring husband, Swede (Robert) Winbolt, her parents Lawrence and Beatrice Jones, her sister and brother-in-law Darlene and Loren Wolsleben, her brother and sister-in-law Darrell and Marie Jones, her brother and sister-in-law Donald and Marge Jones, parents-in-law Robert and Rose Winbolt, sister-in-law Evelyn Winbolt, brother-in-law Ivan Winbolt, sister-in-law and husband Leila and Dale Horner, brother-in-law and wife Harry and Donna Winbolt, sister-in-law Helen Seevers, her nieces Candy, Christy and Stacy, her nephews Doug, Dennis and Perry.

Dottie is survived by daughter Tammy (John) Grate, son Tim (Ann) Winbolt, daughter Tina (Duane) Persinger, grandchildren Dustin (Jamie) Grate, Brenin (Faith) Winbolt, Mikayla (Rob) Wilkie, Samantha Grate, Amanda (Cody) Sharpe, Kaitlyn (Brandon) Bennett, Jourdan (Shannon) Persinger, great-grandchildren, Caylee, Willow, Casen, Meadow, Kyler, Ariana, Sophia, Braxton, Rylen and Gavin, sister-in-law Shirley Jones, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

We have so many memories of our beautiful mom, we hope you can join us and share yours.

Dottie’s Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, March 22, 2025, 12pm, at Calvary Church, 10100 Cedar Island Road, Bellevue, NE 68123. Lunch will be served immediately after.

Memorials may be made to the family to be donated as determined to some of Dottie’s favorite charities.