Dorothy J. (Hanson) Draves

Dorothy J. Draves, 82, of Webster City and formerly of Clarion, passed away Thursday, September 25, 2014 at Crestview Nursing and Rehabilitation in Webster City.

Funeral services for Dorothy Draves will be held on Tuesday, September 30, at 11:00 AM at Holmes Lutheran Church, 2139 Hancock Avenue, Clarion with Pastor Rich Taylor officiating.  Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Dows.

Visitation will be held prior to the funeral service at Holmes Lutheran Church on Tuesday, September 30, beginning at 9:30 AM.

Dorothy Jean (Hanson) Draves was born December 15, 1931 to Harry and Recksta (Ubben) Hanson in rural Kamrar, Iowa.  She graduated from Kamrar High School with the class of 1949.

Dorothy was united in marriage to Curtis Draves on April 21, 1950 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.  To this union, three children were born.

The couple made their home south of Webster City, where they began farming in 1952.  In 1957, they moved the family to a farm north of Holmes, then in 1962, to a farm south west of Clarion, where they resided until 1999.  In 2000, Dorothy and Curtis relocated to Webster City, but they continued to farm until 2007.  On June 20, 2014, Dorothy became a resident of Crestview Nursing and Rehabilitation in Webster City.

Dorothy was a farmer in every sense of the word.  She drove combine each fall and helped with all aspects of the farm work in addition to raising a family.  She also worked for Morton’s Frozen Pies and Nissen Packing Company in Webster City, as well as at Globe Union in Fort Dodge.  Dorothy also attended a three week business course in St. Louis in the mid-1960s, learning to work with computers.

Dorothy was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  It was a family tradition to celebrate everybody’s birthday, something she took great pride in.  She was the official family photographer, always snapping photos at family events.

Dorothy enjoyed cross-stitching, gardening and canning.  She was an excellent cook, famous for her rice pudding and Jell-O pretzel dessert.  In later years, she and Curtis enjoyed dancing and traveling, beginning with a family vacation to the west coast in 1969.  The couple later traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, New York and many other destinations.

Dorothy and Curtis attended Holmes Lutheran Church with the family.

Dorothy is survived by her husband of more than 64 years, Curtis of Webster City; children Verla (Larry) Thul of Thor, Vicky (Terry) Arne of Eagle Grove and Larry (Gale) Draves of Clarion; grandchildren Jean Sobek of Forest City, Ronda (Bob) Schaffer of Clarion, Scott Thul of Eagle Grove, Lori Fouarge of Thor, Marcia (Travis) Greco of Ankeny, and Troy Arne of Eagle Grove; great-grandchildren Briar Draves, Michael Schaffer, Paris Madden, Brock Sobek, Brenna Madden, Autumn Madden, Shanna Thul, Cole Fouarge, Bailey Sobek, Zander Madden, Reed Greco, Noah Thul, Matthew Thul and Rosie Thul; brothers Virgil Hanson of Nevada and Richard (Joyce) Hanson of Hubbard; along with numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, sisters-in-law Gleda Hanson and Wanda Draves, and brother-in-law Floyd Draves.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  She was a wonderful lady.