Dorothy E. SCHLOMER

SCHLOMER, Dorothy E. Dorothy E. Schlomer, LaCrosse homemaker, passed away December 25, 2013 at the Whitman Hospital in Colfax. She was 94. Funeral Services will be Saturday, December 28, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, Colfax. A private family burial service will be at the Colfax Cemetery. Dorothy was born January 16, 1919 in Colfax to Fred and Ruby Aegerter Eisinger. She moved to a small ranch on the South Palouse River when she was 6 weeks old and lived there until age 17. She would often walk to a small country school near her home and later rode with a neighbor to high school. While a junior in high school, Dorothy held a job at J.C. Penney's and she also worked as an usher at the Rose Theater and later at the Roxy Theater, receiving 50 cents a night. She graduated from Colfax High School in 1937. She was working at the Modern Maid Ice Cream Shop when her boss, Ed Hochsprung, introduced her to a handsome salesman of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, John Schlomer. John and Dorothy married December 26, 1938 and lived in Pendleton and Salem, Oregon for a brief time. They moved to the Benge - Winona area in 1940 where they farmed and ran the Schlomer Wheat & Cattle Ranch on the Palouse River. Dorothy was active in the operation of their ranch and she found special joy in cooking the large meals required for the hired men, the harvest crews and haying crews. She loved her ranch lifestyle. She kept busy as a homemaker and mother to their two boys as well. Dorothy was a charter member of both the Whitman and Adams County CowBelles, the Washington State CowBelles; where she served on the board of directors for many years, and a past member of the National CowBelles. Dorothy also loved to attend livestock auctions. She was honored as the Washington State Cattlewoman of the Year in 1994. She was a past member of the Benge, Winona, Adams County Pamona State and National Granges. She attended many national cattlemen's meetings and Big Bend Rural Electric meetings held all over the U.S. and she loved to travel for pleasure as well. She visited many countries including Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Africa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and Brazil as well as the states of Alaska and Hawaii. She was a charter member of the Whitman County Historical Society and served as Secretary of the Adams County Fire District for 20 years. Dorothy was an extremely talented quilter and had made many hundreds of quilts. Her quilts were featured in many shows and exhibitions throughout the region. She also belonged to a local quilting club, the Palouse Piece Makers since 1962. Dorothy's husband John passed away May 1, 2002. She moved from LaCrosse to The CourtYard in Colfax earlier this year. She is survived by her two sons; John and Kathy Schlomer, Endicott, and Greg and Sharon Schlomer of LaCrosse; 9 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; her sister, Mildred "Millie" Heilsberg, Colfax, and her niece, Teri Heilsberg also of Colfax. The family suggests memorial gifts be made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children in Spokane or to a favorite charity. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com BRUNING FUNERAL HOME of Colfax is caring for the family.