Dorothy M. Scofield

APRIL 23, 1920 – NOVEMBER 8, 2020

Dorothy M. Scofield, of Kansas City, Missouri passed away on Sunday November 8th, 2020 after a short illness following a stroke. Dorothy, who celebrated her 100th birthday this year, was born and raised in Cabool, Missouri. She was the daughter of Maynard and Minnie Neighbors and sister to seven siblings: six sisters and one brother. Dorothy married Donald Scofield on Christmas day in 1944. They shared 61 years of marriage and a lifetime of love, friendship, family, and faith. She was a devoted mother to Paul, Timothy, and Donna Gay.

Throughout her life, Dorothy worked as a telephone operator in Cabool, Missouri, McPherson, Kansas, Elgin and Chicago, Illinois, and as a Hallmark Cards employee where she retired in Kansas City, Missouri. She was proud of her career at Hallmark and carefully picked out an ornament every Christmas for each of her grandchildren. Dorothy was also a loyal and generous volunteer. She worked as an election poll worker, den mother, Sunday school teacher, church deacon, Crop Walk volunteer, and regularly cleaned up litter in her community with her husband.

Her faith was profoundly important to her and she lived it out humbly throughout her life, serving her church with dedication and caring for those in need. Dorothy was always committed to peace and actively involved in work with charities, her community, and the democratic process.

Dorothy loved music! She played piano beautifully - playing hymns and ragtime songs for her grandchildren and accompanying her choir at Messiah Church of the Brethren for many years. She also loved singing and enjoyed being a member of the church choir. She cherished singing harmonies with her family and listening to them play instruments - especially the trio of her two sons and husband playing the trombones and tuba together.

Not only was Dorothy talented as a musician, she was intelligent, quick-witted and sharp! She could hustle anyone at Chinese checkers, deliver a joke with her wry sense of humor, solve puzzles, and do it all with a genuine smile and an ornery wink! She even learned to use email and social media as an octogenarian.

One of Dorothy's fondest interests was nature - particularly, birds and flowers. She spent many hours bird-watching, planting in her yard, keeping her feeders full, and of course, chasing off those darn squirrels! She could tell you most birds by song or by sight and loved watching them.

Like her sisters, Dorothy was stubbornly independent and maintained her mobility and sharpness all her life, driving and mowing her yard well into her 90s. Yet, she did it all while earning a reputation as someone with a genuine, kind soul, and a smile for every occasion. She was an avid Kansas City Chiefs and Royal's fan and could be seen listening to the game on a radio while watching the game on television.

Dorothy's family was immensely important to her. She was very proud of her sons and talked often of their character, talents, accomplishments, and families. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and made a tradition of having the family over for holidays and making her famous wassail. Her sisters, whom she loved deeply, remained a close and vital part of her life and brought her immense joy. Phone calls and letters from her family were a source of joy to her throughout her life. She loved hearing updates from all of her family, especially from her daughter-in-law, Terry, writing about her mission work to Africa. She was also deeply grateful for many years of friendship and service with Pastor Barbara Davis and the other members of her church.

Dorothy deeply missed her husband, Don, and their daughter, Donna Gay, as well as her sisters, brother, and friends who had passed before her. We are thankful for these memories to hold on to and know that she is happy, and with the ones she has loved and longed for, for so long.

Dorothy is preceded in death by husband Donald, daughter Donna Gay, her mother and father, sisters Clefa, Mary, Catherine, Carol, Adelia, and her brother Louie.

Dorothy is survived by her sons Paul (Sheila) and Timothy (Terry), her baby sister, Jewel Howlett, her grandchildren William (Natalie), Matthew (Landi), Issachar, Angela Davis (Brian), Jeremy Scofield (Kayah), Melody Davis (Loren), and Joelle Pemberton (David), as well as by 13 great-grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Graveside Services will be held on Friday November 20, 2020 at 2:00 pm at Newcomer's Floral Hills Cemetery, 7000 BLUE RIDGE BLVD, KANSAS CITY, MO, Graveside visitation held before at 1:00 pm. Please bring your own chairs.

Wearing masks and distanced at Graveside.

The service will Live Streamed on Floral Hills Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/NewcomersFloralHills

Like the page and click the button when it goes live.

Memorial Gifts To: Reaching Hands Ministry

c/o : Tim Scofield

P.O. Box 297

Quinter, KS 67752