Dorothy Vivian Wells (Pochop), 92, of Arvada, Colo.,, passed away at San Marino Retirement Village, on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022.
Dorothy was born in Colome, South Dakota on April 1, 1930 to Mary (Spinar) and Otto Pochop. Riding her horse to school nearly every day, Dorothy attended and graduated from Witten High School. Dorothy then studied nursing at the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Mitchell, South Dakota and graduated in 1953.
Dorothy had many great experiences, but the greatest adventure of her life took place on March 11, 1956, when she married her sweetheart, Samuel Wells. The couple met at the wedding of Dorothy’s best friend Lena, who was marrying Sam’s brother, Marlin; Dorothy was Lena’s maid-of-honor and Sam was Marlin’s best man. Exactly six-months later, and in the middle of a record-breaking blizzard, Dorothy and Sam were married in Witten, South Dakota.
Dorothy and Sam began their life together in Grand Island, Neb., where their son, Michael LeRoy, was born. In November of 1958, the couple moved from Nebraska to Arvada, Colo. Shortly after their arrival to Arvada, their daughter, Donna Denise, was born. Dorothy enjoyed working as a nurse at various locations from 1953 until February 1990, when she retired from Lutheran Hospital, in Wheat Ridge, Colo. Throughout her career, Dorothy worked in the surgical, maternity, and rehabilitation wards, and was employed as head nurse for many years.
After her retirement, Dorothy enjoyed helping Sam with his antique and collectibles business. Dorothy also loved harvesting and cooking delicious homegrown fruits and vegetables from her and Sam’s family garden. Dorothy and Sam reveled in traveling throughout the world to places, including France, Japan, Hawaii, Germany, Switzerland, Russia (then the Soviet Union), Lichtenstein, England and Belgium. Dorothy also enjoyed watching baseball – genuinely, apparently, because her favorite team was the Colorado Rockies. Dorothy took several trips to Arizona to see Rockies’ spring training; on one visit, Dorothy and Donna even took a hot air balloon ride. One of Dorothy’s most favorite things was dessert – notably, Dorothy and Sam would frequently make homemade ice cream with fresh raspberries and homemade chocolate syrup for their families. As delicious as the ice cream was, the memories are even more sweet and endearing.
Dorothy is predeceased by Sam, her husband of 56 years, as well as her parents Mary and Otto.
Dorothy is survived by her son Mike Wells (Joey) of Westminster, Colo., and her daughter Donna Greenawalt (Kevin) of Rapid City, SD. Dorothy has three grandchildren: Katyie Wells of Broomfield, Colorado; Tyler Greenawalt of Brookings, South Dakota; and Samuel Wells, of Westminster. She also has one great-granddaughter, Ayda Rea, of Broomfield, Colo.. Dorothy is also survived by her brothers Harold (Judy) Pochop and Larry (Beverly) Pochop. Dorothy has many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews – all of whom she loved very much.
Dorothy made every activity fun and always made you feel welcome and loved; she and Sam were the epitome of kindness, compassion, and warmth. Thank you, Dorothy, for blessing our lives with much love and laughter. We will miss you every time we enjoy chicken noodle soup, potato casserole, four bean salad, zucchini bread, and premixed brownies without oil. We will miss you dearly and love you oh so much.
Funeral services were held at Aspen Mortuary in Arvada, Colo., on Nov. 3, followed by graveside services at the Arvada Cemetery.
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