Dorothy Jane Klyn, 92, of Palmer, Alaska, formerly of Mason City and of Ottumwa and Mt. Pleasant, died August
14, 2023 while residing in Palmer, Alaska with her daughter, Sharon and son-in-law, Phil.
Dorothy was born on her mother’s birthday on December 23, 1930 in Jamestown, NY to Leroy J. and Lepha J. Parker Stoddard.
She grew up in the Russell/Warren, PA area with her parents and two sisters who were 12 years and six years older than she. She
graduated from Warren High School in 1948.
She graduated from Baptist Missionary Training School in Chicago before taking a position as the Director of Christian
Education at First Baptist Church in Davenport, IA. On October 3, 1955 she became an Iowa girl when she married Keith Klyn.
Dorothy and Keith had three daughters (Sharon and the twins, Esther and Evelyn) while living in Mt. Pleasant. The family was a
strong supporter of First Baptist Church. Dorothy used her BMTS training to help with many Vacation Bible Schools and Sunday
Schools.
When Keith’s job took Keith and Dorothy to Ottumwa, Dorothy was able to find employment in her dream job. She worked at
Bethany Baptist Church for 4 years and Davis Street Christian Church for 7 years.
Dorothy became a widow on January 16, 1994. She continued to help care for her mother-in-law until Hilda passed away in May
of 1994. Dorothy remained in Ottumwa and remained active as a member of Bethany Baptist Church and then of Pickwick
Community Church. She had good friends and Klyn family for support.
In January of 2018 Dorothy moved to Cornerstone Assisted Living near Evie in Mason City. The sons-in-law and daughters had
told her “no more driving!”
In October of 2020, health issues and COVID rules led her to Alaska to live with her oldest daughter and son-in-law. She adapted
to life in the Last Frontier. She greatly enjoyed the warmth from the wood burning stove! She loved her new church held at Primrose
Retirement Community and she gained new friends through her Alaskan family.
Dorothy lost many family members to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease): her mother and an uncle, both of her sisters, all four nieces, a
grandniece and recently, a grandnephew. She was also preceded in death by her father and step-mother, Constance Stoddard.
Surviving are her daughters, Dr. Sharon (Phil) Schaefer of Palmer, AK, Esther (Jack) Lepisto of Valencia, CA and Evelyn (Craig)
Ocheltree of Mason City, IA; 2 grandsons and their wives, Eric and Megan Ocheltree and Matthew and Callie Ocheltree; and 4
granddaughters, Annaliisa Lepisto, Arieanna Lepisto, Annamaria Lepisto and Jacklyn Lepisto. Dorothy also leaves behind friends
from grade school, friends from college, church friends and cousins along with grandnieces and grandnephews.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Friday, September 15 th at Pickwick Community Church, 1210 W. Williams St., Ottumwa with
Pastor Tim Curtiss officiating. Burial will be in Service Chapel Cemetery near Albia. Visitation and refreshments with the family
present to greet family and friends will begin at 11:30 a.m. prior to the service.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to an ALS research organization: http://donate.als.org/give/287064/#!/donation/checkout.
Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
