Dorothea May Smith

Dorothea May Smith, 86, of Scottsbluff was born August 10th 1925, in Denver, Colorado. She entered her heavenly home December 21, 2011, at Heritage Estates in Gering, Ne. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Scottsbluff Nebraska with Father Vince Parsons officiating. Rosary will be held Tuesday night, 7:00 p.m. at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel. Friends may visit from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, Dorothea’s wish was to have memorials given to St. Agnes School, Heritage Estates or donor’s choice. Dorothea was born to Joe and Mary (Morton) Webber. When her mother passed away due to labor complications she was adopted by Joe’s brother Jack and wife Mayme Webber. Dorothea always said she was blessed with two sets of parents including her birth father and step mother Ida Webber and 6 brothers who loved and spoiled her rotten. She grew up in Scottsbluff attending school and working at the family owned business Webber’s Furniture. After High School graduation she attended Business College in Denver Colorado where she met the love of her life Lee Edwin Smith. They were married November 5, 1943 in Denver, Colorado and to this union were born four sons, Lee Jr. (Butch), Jon, Bruce and Mark. Dorothea went to New London, Wisconsin to stay with Lee’s parents when Lee was stationed in the South Pacific during WWII. Lee and Dorothea and their four sons returned to Scottsbluff in 1954 to help her parents run Webber’s Furniture. In 1993, Dorothea was named Nebraska Retailer of the Year. Dorothea worked hard to bring businesses into Western Nebraska by being active in many local civic organizations including Scotts Bluff Chamber of Commerce, 27th Street Merchants, Old West Balloon Races and the Scottsbluff Centennial Celebration. She retired in 2001 and checked the mail every day at Webber’s until 2009. Dorothea was also very active in her church and was passionate about opening the St. Agnes School. Lee and Dorothea loved traveling and visiting different places and attended many Nebraska Cornhusker and Green Bay Packer football games. She continued to travel after Lee’s death with friends. Dorothea loved life and meeting new people. She never met a stranger. She loved her family and enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Dorothea is survived by her sons Jon (Karen) Smith of Scottsbluff, NE, Bruce (Nancy) Smith of Thornton, CO and Mark (Lorie) Smith of Loveland, CO. Grandchildren Michelle Musfelt of Scottsbluff, NE, Ryan (Michelle) Smith of Gering, NE, Jason (Stephanie) Smith of Omaha, NE, Gordia (Tori) Smith of Scottsbluff, NE, Lindsey Smith of Loveland, CO, and Logan (Luis) Hastings of Loveland, CO. Great Grandchildren Gage, Morgan and Ethan Smith of Gering, NE, Myranda and Mykinzee Musfelt of Scottsbluff, NE, Kelly and Khloe Smith of Omaha, NE, and MolliJane and MayLee Smith of Scottsbluff, NE. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lee Smith, son Lee Jr. (Butch) Smith, grandson Craig Smith and Brothers Joseph, Thomas, Ralph, Delbert, David and George Webber.