Dorothy May Gaylord Harris Thompson, age 84, of Burlington, Iowa, passed away Sunday, August 6, 2023 at her home. She was born March 9, 1939 near Stronghurst, Illinois, the daughter of Emmett Ellsworth and Beulah May Seitz Gaylord. On August 3, 1957, she married Carl Edward Harris in Oquawka, Illinois. He preceded her in death on December 21, 1961. On October 22, 1962, she married Charles Layton Thompson in Burlington. They later divorced.
Dorothy was a 1957 graduate of Mt. Union High School, where she played basketball all four years. She worked at the turkey factory in Burlington, Smolers in Monmouth, Illinois, and then worked as a Certified Nurses Assistant at Burlington Care Center until her retirement in 2002. She enjoyed reading, all sports, and loved sewing. She made doll clothes and jewelry for her kids and grandkids.
Survivors include 6 daughters: Debra Barnes, Carla Harris, Bobbi Tapscott, Toni Martin, Lisa (Mark) Freyling and Connie (Jared) Hunt-Jacobs. 15 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren, (with 2 on the way), 6 great great grandchildren, (with one on the way), one sister: Doris Bock, and special nieces and nephews that she helped raise: Susan Brown, Joyce Cook, Donald Cook Jr., Shane Gaylord, and Cyndi Kendall. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband: Carl, one son in law: Mark Freyling, 4 brothers Donald, John, LaVerne, and Gerald, and 2 sisters, Beverly and Sarah.
The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 11, 2023 at Banks & Beals Funeral Home in Stronghurst. Burial will follow in Crane Cemetery, near Lomax. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. A memorial fund has been established for the Burlington Midwest Magic Special Olympics. Please visit Dorothy’s obituary at banksandbeals.com to leave a condolence.
