Dorothy Katherine Shadduck (Gerdes)

Born December 2, 1914 near Gothenburg, Nebraska. She was the daughter of William and Tena Ostendorf Gerdes. She was the third child of five children. She attended a rural school and was graduated from the Gothenburg High School. Dorothy was also a graduate of the Kearney State Teacher College, and did graduate work toward her master’s degree at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. She held lifetime teaching certificates in the states of Nebraska and Colorado.

She taught school 31 years, beginning in a rural school. The same school that she attended as a child then 9 years in Kearney, Nebraska and 20 years in the St. Vrain Valley School District.

She married Lester C. Shadduck on June 3, 1940 in the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gothenburg, Nebraska. They lived in Kearney until 1942, when they moved to Wichita, Kansas where her husband Lester worked for Boeing Aircraft.

In 1945 they moved back to Kearney, Nebraska. In 1956 the family moved to Longmont.

The Shadduck’s loved to travel. They first saw all 50 states before traveling overseas.

Dorothy was a member of the First Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday school and Bible School in Gothenburg, Kearney and Longmont. She was a member of the Ruth Guild fro 40 years; served on the St. Vrain Manor Board; and was chairperson of the First Lutheran Memorial Committee for 4 years. Dorothy and late husband were the head of the Senior Adults of Ft. Lutheran for 8 years. They enjoyed delivering tapes to shut-ins.

Mrs. Shadduck was a member of the Longmont Senior Center; square dance clubs and bridge clubs. She was a member of the Chapter Alpha Eta of the Alpha Delta International Teacher’s Sorority for 30 years; the Retired School Personnel of the St. Vrain Valley Schools. Also, she was a member of the Retired Teacher’s Association.

She was a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was preceded in death by her husband Lester Shadduck and her older brother William Gerdes and sisters Norma Jean Gerdes and Ruby Gerdes.

She is survived by two sons William and his wife Linda of Longmont and the Rev. James Shadduck and his wife Carol of Kenosha, Wisconsin. A brother Beryl Gerdes and four grandchildren, Jody Shadduck-McNally and Husband Tom of Loveland, Colorado, Joe and Ann Marie Shadduck of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Darren and Na Shadduck of Thornton, Colorado and Jamie and Jon Shadduck-Semenuk of Kimberly, Wisconsin. Also twelve great grandchildren, Ethan, Dylan, Delaney McNally, Kyle Beaumont, Taylor-Ann, Miranda, Cody, Madeline Shadduck, Serena and William Shadduck and Gavin and Garrett Semenuk, survive her.

Visitation hours will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at the Howe Mortuary Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 20, at the First Lutheran Church with Pastor Steve Berke officiating. Interment will follow at Foothills Gardens of Memory.

Contributions may be made the First Lutheran Church, 803 Third Ave, Longmont, CO 80501 or Cinnamon Park, 1335 Cinnamon St. Longmont, CO. 80501