She was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the only child of John and Lillian Sherman. Her husband, Cliff, preceded her in death. When she was 13 years old, her mother, who was a major spiritual influence in her life, introduced her to Jesus Christ as her Savior.
Dorothy graduated from North High School in Des Moines and later graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago with a Christian Education emphasis.
She attended Wheaton College in Illinois, where she majored in English Literature. There she met her future husband, Cliff Burshek, and they graduated together in 1952.
Her teaching career began in Lexington, Nebraska, where she discovered that many of her 11th grade students could not read. This was the beginning of her interest in helping disadvantaged students which she continued to do in her twenty years of teaching, mostly in the Putnam City School District at Hefner Junior High. During this time, Dorothy earned her ME Degree in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and was certified as a Reading Specialist.
She and Cliff were married in Des Moines on June 22, 1952. They lived in Marysville, Kansas, for a short time. Because of the various training programs in Cliff’s insurance business, they moved to Beatrice, Nebraska, where sons David Murray and Randall Sherman were born. Later they moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, then to Denver, Colorado, where Susan Camille was born, then to Burbank, California, and finally to Oklahoma City in December 1959 which was home ever since.
In several cities Dorothy served with her husband on the local Young Life Committee as well as hosted international students attending college.
When their boys were in Cub Scouts, Dorothy served as a den mother.
She was, with her husband, a charter member of Our Lord’s Community Church, where she was active in many areas. Dorothy did a feasibility study for the establishment of King’s Gate School. Later, she served on the Christian Education Committee, working with adults as she coordinated and taught classes.
The things that gave Dorothy enjoyment in life were her family, pets, plants, square-dancing, and books (she called herself a book-a-holic). She read veraciously from early childhood, which probably influenced her choice of careers as a Reading Specialist. She loved to tell stories and laugh.
Dorothy was a freelance writer and was published in insurance trade journals, the Church Herald, Focus on the Family Magazine, Words of Hope, the Sunday Digest and other publications.
When the Christian Women’s Club was organized in Oklahoma City, Dorothy served as the third chairman. She was a trained Stephen’s Minister, having received specialized training in St. Louis, Missouri, and later she trained others to become Stephen’s Ministers. She spoke in area churches interested in beginning this lay ministry.
Dorothy was also a member of the Hefner Connection, a group of teachers who had met together for so long that a strong bond was established and they cared for each other like family.
In 1986, she retired from teaching and immediately began teaching women who lived alone and wanted a support group. This group met continuously in her home for 20 years.
Dorothy is survived by her sons David Burshek, Randy Burshek and wife Charlotte, of Oklahoma City, daughter Susan Denman of Lafayette, Colorado, and five grandsons: Steve Burshek and wife Janie of Edmond, Scott Burshek of Oklahoma City, Craig Burshek and wife Jill of Edmond, Christopher Burshek and wife Amy of Edmond, and Matthew Denman of Lafayette, Colorado. She also had 7 great-grandchildren.
Throughout her life, the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90:12 repeatedly spoke to Dorothy in the various twists and turns of life: “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”
Please join us in celebration and memory of her life at 11:00 am, Wednesday, July 1st, at Our Lord’s Community Church. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Bibles for Israel, P.O. Box 8900, Pueblo, CO 81008-8900, or to any charity of your choice.
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