Dorothy Perdue

Dorothy Perdue: Dorothy passed away Saturday morning at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House at the age of 81 years, 5 months and 26 days. Dorothy is survived by her husband, Charles Perdue of Oskaloosa; her sons: Charlie Perdue and his friend, Mary-Lucille Mantz of Kansas City, KS; Tom (Freda) Perdue of Ogden, IA and David (Robin) Perdue of Lake Ozark, MO and a daughter, Ginny (Mike) Foster of Oskaloosa; ten grandchildren: Scott Perdue and his friend Lori, Heather and Brad Perdue; Breanne and Kalei Perdue; Rebecca Foster, Kristen and her husband Chris Fink, and Michelle, Daniel and Timothy Foster; three great grandchildren: Kelsey, Dylan and Tyson; a sister, Norma (Bob) Higby of Lake Ozark, MO; two nieces and two nephews. Dorothy Fern Reitzel, daughter of Oliver Walton and Ethel Fern Shepardson Reitzel, was born July 25, 1925 near Osceola, Iowa in Clarke County. Dorothy graduated from Osceola High school in 1943. She taught 4 years of 1st- 8th grade country school while attending Drake University. She married the love of her life, Charles Perdue, December 20, 1947, in Osceola. After teaching at East Elementary in Osceola from 1947 ? 1948, she and Charles moved to Donnellson. In June 1951, the Perdue's moved to Ames where Charles continued his education and Dorothy was employed at Gilbert Elementary, she also continued her studies at Drake, receiving her Associates Degree in Education in 1952. After moving to Oskaloosa in 1952, and while her children were young, Dorothy took some time off from teaching, although she stayed active in community and church organizations. Dorothy resumed her education at William Penn College in 1966, and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education in 1968. In August 1967, she began teaching remedial reading at Oskaloosa Junior High School. She continued to teach until her retirement in 1990. Dorothy was an active member at Central United Methodist Church, where she was a member of Christian Friendship Circle and U.M.W.; she was also a member of P.E.O. Chapter X, where she held numerous offices, Delta Kappa Gamma, Oskaloosa Education Association and she was an honorary member of F.F.A. Dorothy's main priority was always her family; she was involved in her children's and grandchildren's extracurricular activities. Dorothy and Charles enjoyed traveling and family camping trips. She will be remembered as a wonderful cook and she also enjoyed sewing, reading, planting flowers and watching the birds. Dorothy had a can-do spirit ? she enjoyed life long learning and taking on new challenges; her memory as a wife, sister, mother, grandmother and friend is etched in many hearts. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents. PDF Printable Version

Dorothy Perdue

July 25, 1925 - January 20, 2007