Dorothy Marie Tierney

Our mother, Dorothy Marie Tierney was born in Overland Missouri, on the outskirts of St. Louis, to Matilda and Harry Badgett. Her father was a mason and her mother was a homemaker. She was born in time period when there was no TV’s or Internet for entertainment. She told great stories about her life as a child. She told us that they had an icebox, and the iceman came to deliver the ice. The coal for the stove was delivered to the basement. They didn’t have an indoor bathroom, so they had to go out at night to the outhouse. She was excited when her dad added on to house a large kitchen and toilet. She and her siblings enjoyed listening to the family radio. The family would gather in the small sitting room to listen to many great radio dramas, variety shows and cartoons. She talked about the phone and having a party line. She got in trouble if she listened to the other person on the phone. In fact when I was little my grandmother still had that party line.

Mom was raised in a poor family and told us that she was often made fun of at school. She had one brother Harry and three sisters Dolores, Ann and Helen. Harry passed away from Cancer and Dolores died in infancy. Her younger sisters Ann and Helen are still living in Missouri. She talked about visiting the farm where her grandparents lived and walking to the corner store to buy penny candy as a treat. Mom loved her sweets. The only way we could get her to eat her oatmeal was to top it with cinnamon. Chocolate pudding, chocolate milk, Tootsie roll pops and orange sherbet ice cream were staples for her.

Mom was severely abused as a child and swore that she would never hit her children, which she didn’t. She got mad but didn’t hit. There were several times that we all may have deserved to get spanked. However, she could have a very sharp tongue and used it often when we were children. Mom was great at the “Wait until your father gets home” line.

Mom met dad Jules (Mickey) Tierney and they married in the late 1940’s. They had four children Donald, Patricia, Michael, and Timothy. Dad was a Plumber/Pipe fitter so we traveled around the United States building the nuclear power stations. The funniest story I remember her telling was about our dad. Her plumbing under the sink broke and Dad wouldn't fix it. She called the company where he worked and they sent him out to repair it. He had to pay himself to fix it. Mom and Dad divorced in the 1960’s but stayed connected and remarried around 1980. During their time apart, mom got her first real job and learned how to drive. Mom worked as a bookkeeper for most of her adult life. Later in life she provided home care and transportation for the elderly.

Mom was very sad to leave the town where she was born and raised. She talked often about “going home”. She is now finally home.

Dorothy is survived by her four children, nine grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren ranging in age from 28 to 6. She loved to spend time with her family and friends.

We will all miss her and we celebrate her life.

Don, Patty, Mike, Tim, Tauna, Terri, Tammy, Tricia, Denise, Brian, Alena, Geneva, Laura Beth, Jeff, Elizabeth, Kian, Ayden, JT, Steven, Tim, Erik, Austin, Jackie, Jessie, Jamie, Jason, and Eva.

Arrangements under the direction of Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Mortuary, and Crematory, Oceanside, California.