DOROTHY STORES obituary

CHESTER - Dorothy May (Marshall) Stores, 86, of Chester died at the Chester rest home Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery.

Dorothy was born May 2, 1919, at Great Falls to William and Sadie (Taplin) Marshall. Dorothy was raised on the family farm north of Chester and attended the Fairview and Laird country schools. In 1932, her family moved into Chester, where her father took a job with the city.

Dorothy married Donald D. Stores on March 12, 1937, at Havre. They made their home on the Stores farm one mile south of Chester. In addition to farming, they owned and operated the Tip Top Tavern and Cafe in Chester from 1938-42. Dorothy worked diligently as a mother of six from 1944-52, when Don worked for the Liberty County Road Department. In 1952, the Stores family moved to Tiber Dam, where Don accepted a job as reservoir superintendent for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. When Don retired in 1975, they moved back to Chester. Don died in 1977. Dorothy then worked as a housekeeper at the Liberty County Hospital and Nursing Home, a job she held for 16 years until her retirement in 1991.

She continued to live in their Chester home until her health failed in 2003, when she transferred to the local nursing facility.

Dorothy was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith. She remained a life member at St. Mary's and had been active in the Altar Society. She also held membership in the Royal Neighbors of America and the V.F.W. Auxiliary.

Dorothy was a hard worker her entire life. During their 23 years at Tiber Dam, she raised a huge garden each year and either sold or traded the produce. In addition, she was a very organized and detailed person. She kept a daily journal of weather changes and other significant events of the area. She clipped and saved local newspaper articles that had some personal or historical value. In their younger years, Dorothy and Don enjoyed square dancing. They were also avid high school sports fans, especially when their children and grandchildren were active.

During her quiet time at home, Dorothy enjoyed crocheting, completing jigsaw puzzles and word games, playing solitaire and reading the newspaper.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband; parents; sister, Ethel Belstad; and brothers, William, Darrell and James Marshall.

Survivors include her sons, Robert (Burma) Storrs and Pat Stores, both of Eugene, Ore .; daughters, Helen Harmon of Kalispell, Donna (Rich) McCalib of Camano Island, Wash., Margie (Ben) Holmes of Chester and Sharon Stores of Chester; 12 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; sisters, Maude Bassett of Chester, Mabel Jacobson of Chester, Janet Nessan of Great Falls and Edith Cherry of Houston, Texas; and many nephews and nieces.

Memorials will be given to the Liberty County Hospital and Nursing Home in Chester.

Arrangements by Rockman Funeral Chapel of Chester.