Dorothy Willms, 86, of Red Oak, IA, formerly of Griswold, IA, died early Monday morning, November 10, 2008 at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak.

Dorothy Jean Whitsitt was born on August 24, 1922, at Oakland, IA, the daughter of Noah Benjamin and Rosa (Waser) Whitsitt. She attended schools at Oakland graduating in the class of 1939. On May 25, 1940, she married Earnest Willms at Sioux City, IA. They farmed in the Lewis and Griswold area. She worked at Walton Manufacturing in Atlantic, at the Griswold Care center for a short time and helped pick apples at the apple orchard in the fall. After Ernie's death on July 30, 1992, she moved to Griswold. Dorothy enjoyed keeping track of her grandchildren and being with them. Her health had been declining for the last year and she had most recently resided in the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Red Oak.

Survivors include her children, Ronald Willms and his wife Beverly of Fremont, NE, Richard Willms and his wife Mary of Griswold and Nancy Carpenter and her husband Bill of Atlantic. Also surviving are 13 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

Preceding Dorothy in death were her parents, her husband, two grandchildren, Kendra Renee Willms in 1967 and Andrew N. Green in 1974, three brothers, Emery, Floyd, and Forrest Whitsitt and one sister Nellie Edic.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at the Griswold United Methodist Church at 1:30 PM, Pastor Leila Blackburn officiating. Burial will be in the Whipple Cemetery northwest of Griswold. Open visitation will be at the Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold and visitation with the family will be at the church one hour prior to the services on Thursday.