1930-2024
The family of Dorothy Neel will visit with friends from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson. Family interment services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at Junction Township Cemetery, Grand Junction. Rev. Thomas McMullin, Panora Church of the Brethren, will preside.
Memorials are suggested to Heritage Park in Panora and may be mailed to 5010 Briar Cliff Court, Panora, IA 50216; or Prairie Woodland Conservation Foundation, 206 West South St., Panora, IA 50216.
Dorothy Jean Neel, passed away on Nov. 10, 2024, at the age of 94, in Panora. Born on May 21, 1930, in Boone to Roy and Mabel (Cox) Jewett, Dorothy’s life was a tapestry of love, dedication and service.
Dorothy graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree, where she also embraced lifelong friendships as an active member of the Delta Zeta sorority. Her commitment to education and young minds led her to serve as a substitute teacher at the Grand Junction/East Greene schools. Dorothy also had a lifelong joy of watching sports (any sports!), especially her beloved ISU Cyclones and also when her grandchildren were playing sports.
In the early 1980s, Dorothy’s professional path took a turn as she stepped into the role of head bookkeeper at the Neel/Lake Lumber Yard, a family-owned business where she was not only part-owner but also the heart of operations. She continued working there for nearly four decades, until her retirement at age 85.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Dorothy was the loving center of her family. Dorothy and Bob Neel were married in June of 1952. They raised four children: Sherry (Norm) Smith, Kathy (Earl) Werner, Nancy (Dick) Lehman, and Tom (Sharon) Neel, who they watched grow and prosper, each finding their unique path in life. Her joy multiplied with the arrival of her grandchildren: Jan, Kirk (Jeanne) and Calvin (Melanie) Smith; Willie (Julie), David and Lee (Karlee) Werner, Mallory (Dwayne) Draper and Ben (Britta) Lehman; Breanne and Emily Neel; and further still with her eight great-grandchildren. She instilled in them the values of kindness, thoughtfulness and pride, traits she embodied every day.
Dorothy’s zest for life extended to her love of bridge, which she played with a cherished group of friends throughout her life. Her travels with her late husband, family, friends, sorority sisters and lumber yard business associates enriched her life with adventure and shared memories. Dorothy’s love for family gatherings shone brightest at Bay Lake, Minnesota, and later on Lake Panorama, where laughter and stories were abundant. She was also a true nature lover and enjoyed all the birds and wildlife that visited and entertained her outside her windows.
A woman of faith, Dorothy was an active participant in the United Methodist Church in Grand Junction and later in the Panora Brethren Church after moving to Lake Panorama.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her spouse, Robert Neel; her brother, Dale Jewett; and her sister, Lois Freerksen. Her legacy of love and leadership survives through her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who will carry forward the light of her spirit.
As we celebrate Dorothy’s well-lived life, we remember her virtues of grace and generosity.
Dorothy’s presence will be profoundly missed, but her spirit and her sass will continue to guide and inspire the lives she touched for generations to come.
Services provided by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home and Cremation Care, Jefferson, 515-386-2171.