Dorothy M. Heffelfinger

Born April 19, 1925, in Atchison, Kansas, to Delbert Ernst and Gladys Charmin (Clements) Shockley, Dorothy graduated from Effingham High School in Kansas.

Dorothy married her high school sweetheart William S. (Bill) Heffelfinger, in September 1944 when he came home from California on leave during World War II. Years later Bill told the family that when he saw Dorothy for the first time as she was coming up the steps at high school, he told a friend standing nearby he intended to marry that girl. When they were dating Dorothy was a majorette and Bill played the clarinet in their high school marching band.

After they were married Dorothy joined Bill, then a Staff Sargent in the Army, at Camp Roberts in California. She exhibited her sense of self-confidence by traveling alone across the country in a time of war, on a train reserved for wives and priority military personnel, without the benefit of a cellphone or easy means of communication.

In the 1950s, the family moved to the Washington area, when Bill accepted a position with the federal government. Bill’s rise to a subcabinet position permitted Dorothy to enjoy events such as lunch with the President’s wife at Blair House and seats in the President’s Box at the Kennedy Center. However, they tended to avoid most of the political aspects of Washington life. In due course they lived in the Maryland suburbs, Battle Creek, Michigan, and McLean, Virginia. Dorothy lived in McLean for over 60 years.

Dorothy and Bill traveled extensively on road, rail, and airline trips for many years. It was not unusual for the two of them to drive thousands of miles over a four-day weekend. Ultimately Dorothy visited all 50 states and all 50 state capitals. Together they witnessed a number of space launches from Cape Canaveral, traveled on the Alaskan Railroad in their own private car, flew in the Goodyear Blimp, enjoyed deep-sea and salmon fishing, flew in a hot-air balloon over the Rockies, pre-ran a portion of the Mexican 1000 in 1973, and she participated in the many adventures that her husband took great pleasure in planning and arranging.

Unfortunately, Bill Heffelfinger died unexpectedly in 1986.

After Bill’s death Dorothy eventually returned to their shared tradition of adventures and she became a world traveler with members of the family, cruised to foreign destinations including several trans-Atlantic crossings, flew over the Swiss Alps in a hot-air balloon, rode in a glider plane, helicoptered to the top of an Alaskan glacier, performed a tandem sky-dive at 84 years of age, and rode/pumped a hand-pumped rail cart, among many other extreme adventures well into her 90s.

Dorothy lived a long and fruitful life. She was generous with both her time and resources. She will be remembered by the family as a loving wife and perfect mother. Her entire focus was on the family and their well-being. She was a woman of faith and has joined Bill in Heaven.

She is survived by three children, four grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. This includes her children: William S. Heffelfinger III (his wife Christa), Sharon Ann Heffelfinger, Lee S. Heffelfinger (Lee’s wife Belinda); four grandchildren: Katherine Caffrey (her significant other Dan Merenick), Melissa Kelley (her significant other Jason Hallama), Lee S. Heffelfinger Jr., Amy K. Heffelfinger (and her husband Ian Rodriguez), and a former daughter-in-law Marie K. Heffelfinger. Her four great grandchildren: Jordan Marie Caffrey, Sean Michael Caffrey, Jayla Marie Kelley, and Harper Mae Heffelfinger.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband William S. Heffelfinger, her parents, her brother Robert Stanley Shockley, her sister Jean Marie Beien, a grandson Phillip S. Heffelfinger, and her son-in-law Patrick R. Cain.

Inurnment will be with her husband on the hallowed ground of Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.