Dorothy Jane (Robb) Hemphill, 86, formerly of Humboldt, passed on to be with her heavenly family on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, at Clare Bridge Senior Living in Wichita.
She was born July 4, 1926, on the family farm south of Moran to Harley and Mary Etta (Harclerode) Robb. She grew up on farms in the Moran and LaHarpe area and graduated from LaHarpe High School in 1944. She taught at the Independence country school in rural Allen County from 1944 to 1946.
On Jan. 19, 1947, she married Frank Hemphill at Jeddo Church, rural LaHarpe. They made their first home in Pittsburg as Frank finished his teaching degree. Over the next six years they moved to Burdick, Gorham and Sawyer, where he taught and coached and Dorothy taught at the elementary level. In the summer of 1953, they moved to Humboldt, where they lived until Frank’s death in April of 1999 and where she continued to live until 2009. They had three children, Jane, Steve and Rick. As her health declined, Dorothy moved to Sterling House Assisted Living Home in Derby in 2009, and then to Clare Bridge Senior Living in Wichita in February of 2012.
Dorothy spent her years in Humboldt, first as a homemaker, then as a teacher’s aide at Humboldt Elementary School. After receiving her degree from Pittsburg State University in 1976, she worked as the Humboldt Elementary Librarian until her retirement, to assist her ailing husband, in 1989. During her years in Humboldt she was a member of Humboldt United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Chapter AM PEO, Hope and Hoe garden club, Humboldt Library Board, Humboldt Housing Authority Board, Better Homes FCE, the Monday night bridge club, Bridgettes, an avid bowler (even in her 80s), taught Sunday school, Bible school and served in many capacities at the Humboldt United Methodist Church, including Sunday school superintendent. She was a Girl Scout and Boy Scout leader when her children were young. She was actively involved in her later years in the Humboldt Historical Society and Museum, assisting with the Humboldt sesquicentennial celebration. Her community, family and her faith were very important to her.
She is survived by a daughter, Jane Stout, Derby; two sons, Steve and his wife, Karen (Ford), Baldwin City, and Rick and his wife, Barbara (Lytle), Derby; one brother, John Robb and his wife, Hazel, Humboldt; one sister, Roberta Jean and her husband, Joseph, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; seven grandchildren, Craig (Hannah) and Kayla Stout, Matthew, Sara, Erick (Michelle), Tom (Morgan) and Adam Hemphill; two step-grandchildren, Shelby and Emily Lawson; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Her parents, husband, a son, David Lee, a sister, Betty Jo Tawney, and a brother, Rex Robb, preceded her in death.
Visitation will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday at the Humboldt United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Humboldt United Methodist Church.
Burial will be at Moran Cemetery, Moran.
Memorial choice is Humboldt United Methodist Church or Alzheimer’s Association and may be left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.
Dorothy Hemphill
