Withrow, Doris E. 1932-2024 St. Joseph, Mo.
By NewsPress Now
Doris Elaine Withrow, age 91, of St. Joseph, passed away Jan. 6, 2024, while surrounded by her family and loved ones.
Doris was born Aug. 29, 1932, to James and Helen Adamson in rural Tarkio, Missouri. She graduated from Tarkio High School in 1950 and went on to study at Tarkio College, with a focus on education and teaching.
Following college, she taught in Essex, Iowa. In 1954, Doris married her high school love, Frank “Skip” Withrow. When Skip served in the Army in 1955, she joined him while stationed in Bad Nauheim, Germany, where she taught school at the barracks and made many close life-long friends.
Once out of the Army she lived and taught elementary and junior high classes at Hardin Elementary, and then Excelsior Springs. In 1963, her son, Floyd, was born. They moved to Center, Missouri, in 1966, where she taught 8th grade in New London and Perry schools. She later, in 1972, worked for a doctor in Vandalia, Missouri, as a receptionist and assistant.
In 1979, the family moved to Lathrop, Missouri, and she received her real estate license where she was successful with real estate sales across Lathrop, Kearny, and Liberty regions, both as an independent agent and for RE/MAX.
In 1989, both she and Skip retired and moved to St. Joseph. Not being one to sit still for very long and settle for retired life, she had several little projects and sometimes helped friends with technical issues on computers and their iPads. Later, in her 80s, she started working at McDonald’s as a lobby hostess until finally retiring, to assist Skip, following some health setbacks.
Doris had several hobbies and always enjoyed meeting and working together with people. She was always thoughtful and thinking of others. Many called her friend, neighbor, and to some, an adopted aunt, mother, or grandmother. She was loved across many generations and with those she taught and influenced. She was also proud of her intricate crochet work, which is a hobby she picked up after retirement. She provided family, friends, charity auctions and others with many lovely doilies to grace their tables, baskets and furniture.
She was strong in her Christian faith and demonstrated this in how she lived her life and cared for others. She was active in church communities and volunteer services wherever she lived. She particularly enjoyed working with children and the elderly, which included nursery programs, a tape ministry, serving as a volunteer preschool teacher, and 28 years of nursing home visits in the Lathrop and St. Joseph communities.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents and husband of 69 years, Frank “Skip” Withrow.
She is survived by her son, Floyd Withrow, of California; a goddaughter, Patti Liefer (Ron and Family), of Red Bud, Illinois; and honorary adopted family, Rev. Terry and Betsy Hodges and family, of Odessa, Missouri. Also, a brother-in-law, Franklin Staashelm (Carolyn); and niece, April Ronan; nephews, Ernest Staashelm (Christy) and Robert Staashelm (Susan) and families.
Farewell Services and Public Livestream 10 a.m. Tuesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment Tarkio Home Cemetery, Tarkio, Missouri.
The family will gather with friends one hour prior to the service.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com. As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
