Dorothy Lois Shaver

Dorothy Lois Shaver, 91 years old, of Montrose, Colorado passed into eternity on Friday evening, May 10, 2013 at Montrose Memorial Hospital with her family by her side.   She was hospitalized due to an injury from a fall.  She didn’t fear death, since she knew the Lord as her personal Savior and looked forward to her eternal home. 

 She was born to Ralph and Nellie Carlton of Udall, Kansas on October 15, 1921.  She was raised on several farms until she graduated high school in 1939.  She rode her horse to school and lived in homes without electricity or indoor bathroom plumbing yet was happy.  She left the farm and taught school (1940-41).  After a stint in college (Bethany Peniel College in Oklahoma) she worked for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas (where she was paid a good wage of eighty-five cents per hour). After World War II, on September 1, 1945, she married Captain John Shaver, who had just returned from the service.  They relocated to his work in Hawthorne, California, then back to Wichita, then to Wyoming, Idaho, and the Antelope Valley area of California.  In many of those places, she taught school, and in 1961 she returned to college (Southwestern in Winfield, Kansas) to finish her B.A. degree.  She and John returned to John’s boyhood home of Western Colorado in 1975 and she continued work as a teacher for several years in Mesa County.  They relocated to Montrose in 1983 to be closer to family.

 Dorothy was a life-long Christian.  She attended First Presbyterian Church but also had special connections to Calvary Chapel and Valley Baptist.  She loved to sing and really enjoyed her Bible studies.  She enjoyed painting, playing the piano and organ, growing flowers, and scenic drives.  She was known for her hearty laugh and sense of humor.  She especially enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was very proud of all of them.

 She is survived by her daughter Carolyn Sue (T.V.) Hall of Leona Valley, CA; her sons Robert (Tuckie) Shaver of Boise, ID and Michael (Jean) Shaver of Montrose.  Her grandchildren Jason (Diana) Hall of Lancaster, CA; Megan (Sean) Campbell of Lancaster, CA; Rachael (Jon) Coddington of Montrose; Deah (Chris) Cooper of Santa Clarita, CA; Laura Shaver of Yakima, WA; Cierra and Jim Shaver of Boise, ID; John Shaver of Seoul, South Korea; Kristen and Mark (Andrea) Shaver of Montrose.  Great-grandchildren Ben and Gavin Cooper; Elora Shaver; and Seamus Campbell. She is also survived by her older brother, Dr. Billy J. (Eileen) Carlton of Aurora, Colorado and several nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 2001.

 A Funeral Service in celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church on Niagara Rd., in Montrose.  Interment will follow the service at Grand View Cemetery, west of Montrose.  Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home & Crematory, Montrose, Colorado