Obituary of Dorothy Stubbs

Death came to Dorothy Laura Lizzie (Seelhoff) Stubbs on October 7, 2010, at the age of 89 at the Grace Manor Care Center in Burlington. On March 6, 1921, Dorothy was born to Fritz and Anna (Thiele) Seelhoff, in Syracuse, NE, the fourth of their five children. She was baptized on May 8th, 1921, at the First Lutheran Church in Syracuse. The family lived on a farm near Syracuse where the children attended school at the Maple Grove country school. In March of 1929, they moved northwest of Burlington, CO. She attended District 4 Carmichael country school, where she graduated from the 8th grade. Along with her three brothers and one sister, Dorothy reconfirmed her baptismal covenant with God at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, north of Bethune, Colorado. Dorothy always remembered her reading of Revelations 2:10, “Be thou faithful until death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Dorothy was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. As a young lady she went to Syracuse to care for her Grandmother Seelhoff who had broken her hip and was bedfast and her aunt Lizzie Thiele who was in poor health due to cancer until their deaths. Dorothy worked as a waitress and took cleaning jobs in private homes while growing up in Burlington. Dorothy met Madison (Mattie) Stubbs in 1937. They were married on January 25th, 1942 in the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Goodland. Mattie and Dorothy made their home in Burlington. There they raised their three children; Marion, Elise and Ellis. While raising their children, they both were involved with scouting and were very active in the church. Dorothy worked as a switchboard operator at the Mountain State Telephone Company, and she was a Republican Committee woman. Dorothy loved to cook for her family, and many gatherings of family and friends took place in the Stubbs’ home. In their golden years, Mattie and Dorothy joined the RSVP club (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). Dorothy enjoyed the quilting group and the ladies shared many happy and fun times across the quilts. Preceding her in death were her husband Mattie, sister Lorena Seelhoff, brothers Fredrick and Walter Seelhoff, a great grandson Chase Madison Gray, a niece Bethel Ann Seelhoff, and sisters-in-law Elsie, Caroline and Mary Lou Seelhoff. She is survived by her sons Marion (Tink) Stubbs of Golden, Colorado, Ellis (Jane) Stubbs of Louisville, Colorado, a daughter Elise (Duane) Gile of Scandia, Kansas, a brother Frank Seelhoff of Burlington, and sister-in-law Phyllis Seelhoff of Greeley, Colorado. She is also survived by her grandchildren Tracy (Darryl) Ritchey of Cayahoga Falls, Ohio, Kelly (Gerry) Perna of Stewartsville, New Jersey, Chad (Laura) Gray of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Kade (Blair) Gile of Lawrence, Kansas, Jared (Haley) Gile of Scandia, Kansas, Luke (Jen) Gile of Lenexa, Kansas, Shan (John) Brunel of Golden, Colorado, Kim (Paul) Szechi of Lakeview, Arkansas, David (Kim) Stubbs of Thornton, Colorado, Wayne (Holly) Topliss of Dacono, Colorado, seventeen great grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends.