Dorothy Krisher

Dorothy Lucille McCarty Krisher, daughter of Arthur and Vada (McKinley) McCarty passed away Sunday, September 8, 2013 in her home.  She was born June 11, 1924 in the family’s farm home east of Vermont, Illinois. She attended Cox Grade School, Fox Ridge and a grade school near Littleton.  She graduated from Vermont High School in 1942. Dorothy married Melvin Groff on April 1, 1946.  A son, John, was born September 20, 1947.  She married Kenneth Krisher on March 18, 1950.  A son, Kevin, was born on September 28, 1957 and daughter, Darla, was born on December 28, 1960. Dorothy worked hard her entire life starting with farm work while living on the family farm.  She started working outside of the family farm when she was fifteen years old as a companion, care-giver and homemaker for a young woman recovering from tuberculosis.  After graduating from high school she moved to Lewistown and worked in the Candy Kitchen. When World War II began she worked at Caterpillar in Peoria.  In her early twenties Dorothy managed and ran a restaurant in Vermont while raising her first son.  Later she returned to Lewistown and worked in the grocery store and also did daycare. Early in the 1960s she and her family moved to Galesburg. Dorothy worked at Sears and then at Admiral-Maytag on the assembly and inspection lines.  She retired from Maytag in the 1990s. Dorothy was a loving and caring mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  Her door was always open and she was willing to help in any way that she could.  She enjoyed time spent with family, nature, flower gardens, animals and dancing. She was preceded in death by her parents, five siblings (Art, Margaret, John, Thelma and Lois) and a son-in-law, Marvin Powell, Jr.  She is survived by her children, John (Barb) Krisher of Galesburg, IL, Kevin (Robin) Krisher of Keller, TX and Darla Powell of Knoxville, IL.  Surviving siblings are Faye (Steve) Orphans and Gene (Linda) McCarty.  She is survived by two sisters-in-law: Barb McCarty, and Charlotte McCarty and one brother-in-law, Jack Smith, many nieces and nephews and their families. She will be missed and remembered by fourteen grandchildren: Todd, Shelley, Shawn, Tim, Dan, Joe, Joshua, Matthew, Jacob, Michael, Kyle, Brooke, Savanah and Marvin.  She also leaves behind thirteen great-grandchildren: Ryan, Meredith, Sarah, Molly, John, Jane, Kaylee, Emerson, Ella, Eden, Eliza, Andrew and Lauren. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Services will be held on Thursday, September 12 at the Watson-Thomas Funeral Home in Galesburg and include a visitation at 10:00 a.m. followed by a memorial and prayer service at 11:00 a.m. officiated by Rev. Dianne Duncan of Knoxville.  Burial will be at the Memorial Park in Galesburg.   Memorial contributions may be made to the Guardian Angels of Galesburg or to the family for a designated memorial to be determined at a later date.