Dollie DuMontelle Obituary
Dollie Bridgewater DuMontelle
Indianapolis - Dollie Louise Bridgewater was born in Austin, Ind., on Nov. 9, 1934, to Hollis and Goldie Wilma (Maines) Bridgewater. While in Convington, Ind., they were befriended by John L. Peters and his daughters, Mamie Nelson, and Helen Aldridge. After grade school, Dollie moved with her family to Marion, Ind., in 1944; she still spent summers in Covington. She graduated from Marion High School and attended DePauw University, where she met her future husband, Paul B. DuMontelle. They married on June 5, 1955, before moving for Paul's graduate studies to Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Pa. Paul's work took them to the Catskills, in New York; St. Paul and Hastings, Minn.; Egypt, Pa.; Hauber, Wyo.; then to Lead, S.D., where Paul went to work at the Homestake Gold Mining Co. In 1963, they moved to Urbana, where they remained until Paul retired in 1996 from the Illinois State Geological Survey. In 2018, they moved to Indianapolis to be nearer to family. In addition to raising her children and supporting her family, Dollie served for over 25 years as an active auxiliary volunteer with Burnham-Mercy-Covenant-Provena Hospital. She and Paul enjoyed working for over 15 years at welcoming receptions for new American citizens through DAR. Dollie was also active in many organizations including Urbana First United Methodist Church, PEO, DAR, CAR, the Urbana Free Library, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and her college sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. She proudly completed her own academic Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992! She also enjoyed being a farmer.
Dollie is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Gerald Lee and Bobbie Don, and her husband. She is survived by their children: John (Karla), Jeff (Janine), JoEllen (George), Jim (Vicki) and Jay (Diane), 12 grandchildren, and three great-granddaughters, seven nieces and nephews and two special families, the Ron and Kris Berman family and Wen-June and Catty Su Family. By her own request, there will be no services. Donations may be made to the Danville (Indiana) United Methodist Church.
Published by The News-Gazette from Nov. 14 to Nov. 15, 2025.