Dorothy Marion (Osterman) Brown was born November 12, 1923 to Albert and Mary (Mauch) Osterman at Mariville NE in Rock County. Brother Lavern welcomed her with loving arms. In the coming years sisters Virginia, Patty and Maxine would complete the family. Dorothy walked all 8 years to Rock Creek School not far from their home. Dorothy waited 1 year for Virginia to finish grade school than they both went to Rock County High School at Basset, NE. They stayed with grandma Mauch while attending their 1 year of high school. Their brother was very ill with a heart problem caused by rheumatic fever and passed at the age of 20. He was in the hospital so long the folks couldn’t afford to send them to high school. Dorothy worked out in Ainsworth, Bassett and for several neighbors. Dorothy had to learn to make the weekly supply of bread and rolls at a very early age for her family. She loved to go hunting and fishing with her brother till he passed away. She met a fellow, Udell Brown, dated and married him on March 15, 1943. They had one daughter Julia. Dorothy was Udell’s right hand helper. She milked cows, raised a big garden, raised chickens and worked in the fields learning to drive all the tractors and mastered handling 3 dump rakes. She joined the Cowbells and was a Cowbell for several years. Then she took on a job of selling Tupperware and sold that for 10 years. She met lots of lovely people and excelled at this job. Dorothy and Udell went to Mesa, Arizona for 12 winters and there they did lots of dancing, playing cards and working on crafts. Udell would cut out wood items and Dorothy would paint them along with her favorite crafts.
Udell had a stroke in 1992. In 1997 they sold the ranch, built their house in Gregory and made the hard move to town. She was very strong willed and granted both of their wishes by caring for Udell for 9 years around the clock till he passed away in 2001. She took care of her yard and had a lot of flowers while living in town. Her daughter gave her 2 granddaughters and they gave her 6 great grandchildren. Now she has 2 great great grandchildren.
Dorothy was able to stay in her own home till August, 2016 then she had to go into the Gregory Hospital and from there to the Lake Andes Senior Living Center. On September, 21, 2016 at the age of 92 years Dorothy peacefully passed away.
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