Dorothy Hemphill

Dorothy Jane (Robb) Hemphill, 86, formerly of Humboldt, passed on to be with her heavenly family on Thursday, February 14, 2013, at Clare Bridge Senior Living in Wichita, KS. She was born July 4, 1926, on the family farm south of Moran to Harley and Mary Etta (Harclerode) Robb. She grew up on farms in the Moran and LaHarpe area and graduated from LaHarpe High School in 1944. She taught at the Independence country school in rural Allen County from 1944-1946. On January 19, 1947, she married Frank Hemphill at Jeddo Church, rural LaHarpe. They made their first home in Pittsburg as Frank finished his teaching degree. Over the next 6 years they moved to Burdick, Gorham and Sawyer, KS where he taught and coached and Dorothy taught at the elementary level. In the summer of 1953, they moved to Humboldt, where they lived until Frank's death in April of 1999 and where she continued to live until 2009. They had 3 children - Jane, Steve and Rick. As her health declined, Dorothy moved to Sterling House Assisted Living Home in Derby, KS in 2009, and then to Clare Bridge Senior Living in Wichita in February of 2012. Dorothy spent her years in Humboldt, first, as a homemaker, then as a teacher's aide at Humboldt Elementary School. After receiving her degree from Pittsburg State University in 1976, she worked as the Humboldt Elementary Librarian until her retirement, to assist her ailing husband, in 1989. During her years in Humboldt she was a member of the Humboldt United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Chapter AM PEO, Hope and Hoe garden club, the Humboldt Library Board, the Humboldt Housing Authority Board, the Better Homes FCE, the Monday night Bridge club, Bridgettes, an avid bowler (even in her 80's), taught Sunday school, bible school and served in many capacities at the Humboldt United Methodist Church, including Sunday School Superintendent. She was a girl scout and boy scout leader when her children were young. She was actively involved in her later years, in the Humboldt Historical Society and Museum, assisting with the Humboldt Sesquicentennial celebration. Her community, family and her faith were very important to her. She is survived by a daughter, Jane Stout, Derby; two sons, Steve and his wife, Karen (Ford), Baldwin City, and Rick and his wife, Barbara (Lytle), Derby; one brother, John Robb and his wife, Hazel, Humboldt; one sister, Roberta Jean and her husband, Joseph, Cape Girardeau, MO; seven grandchildren, Craig (Hannah) and Kayla Stout, Matthew, Sara, Erick (Michelle), Tom (Morgan) and Adam Hemphill; two step-grandchildren, Shelby and Emily Lawson; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Her parents, husband, a son, David Lee, a sister, Betty Jo Tawney, and a brother, Rex Robb, preceded her in death. VISITATION: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2012, at the Humboldt United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, Humboldt FUNERAL SERVICE: 10:00 a.m., Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, at the Humboldt United Methodist Church BURIAL: Moran Cemetery, Moran, KS MEMORIAL CHOICES: Humboldt United Methodist Church or Alzheimer's Association Memorial gifts may be left with the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for the family may be left on this website, www.iolafuneral.com .