Dorothy D Blecha

Dorothy Deane Peterson Blecha was born on August 18, 1924 near Haigler, Nebraska. Her parents were Alex Mathew Peterson and Lena Mae Robb. She was the youngest of 8 children having 5 brothers and 2 sisters. She spent her early childhood north of Haigler. She attended a one-room schoolhouse through 8th grade and graduated from Haigler High School.

Although wealth diminished the Peterson family, they had many happy and unforgettable days in the sandhills of northwest Dundy County. Some of the most memorable times were spent hunting arrowheads, playing softball, and riding horses, as much from necessity as for pleasure. Many joyful nights were spent dancing, and often times she was brought home by her trusty horse, Old Nick.

Following high school she attended Kearney Teacher’s College, where she received a teaching certificate and taught the next fall. When not teaching, Dorothy enjoyed watching her brothers play baseball. Romance and baseball seemed to go together for the Peterson family.  At any rate, Dorothy took a liking to her brother Carl’s handsome friend and fellow baseball player, Harry Blecha. The liking was mutual and they were married on October 16, 1943 in St. Francis, Kansas.      They lived north of Haigler on the home place where their first child, Beverly Sue was born. Sixteen months later, their first son, Gary Dewayne was born.

In 1948, the young family moved to Yuma County Colorado after purchasing the “Right-Type Stock Farm” in the Wauneta community north ofWray. There, David Stuart and Kelly Lou were born. Not only was Dorothy a full-time mother, she was a full-time teacher in one-room schools, was a 4-H leader, was an original foster parent to high school students and boarded other teachers. In the early 1960′s, she accepted a position as the Wray High School Librarian until her retirement in 1979. During this time, she spent summers completing her bachelors degree in education at Colorado State College in Greeley. After retirement, she enjoyed teaching her 11 grandchildren and 9

great-grandchildren  many of the crafts she loved. They loved coming to the farm to spend time gardening, quilting, painting , sewing, crocheting, and embroidery work as well as many other arts and crafts activities. She made each of her 11 grandchildren a quilt , a Swedish weaving quilt, and a painted gourd for their Christmas trees. She was a member of the National Gourd Society, the Wauneta Quilters, the Wauneta Extension Club, and was a charter member of the Calico’n Cactus Family and Community Education club. Dorothy displayed her art work as an Artist of the Month at the Wray Recreation and Rehabilitation Center in November of2010.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Harry, her daughter Beverly (Parker, Jr.) Newbanks, son Gary (Gayle), son Stuart (Dee), and daughter Kelly, 11 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. She will be missed by her family members and many friends.

Internment will be in the Haigler Cemetery.   Memorials may be sent to the Wauneta 4-H Club and the Wray High School Library.

A Receiving of Family & Friends was held Thursday, May 17, 2012, from 6 pm to 8 p.m. at the Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home in Wray, Colorado 80758.  Funeral services were held at the Wray United Methodist Church in Wray, Colorado with Norman Stott officiating on Friday, May 18, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Interment was held in the Haigler Cemetery in Haigler, Nebraska. Memorials maybe made to the Wauneta 4-H Club or the Wray High School Library. Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home in Wray, Colorado is in charge of arrangements.