Dorothy Irene Deam, 95, of Sheffield, passed away Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at the Sheffield Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 2, 2024, at Woodley Funeral Home in Hampton. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Dorothy will be laid to rest at the Hampton Cemetery. Woodley Funeral Home of Hampton is caring for Dorothy and her family.
Dorothy Irene Kramer was born on June 21, 1929, to Jake and Gertie Kramer. She was lucky number 13 of 14 kids. She married Chuck Eckhardt and had her son, Mark and her daughter, Michaelyn (Mickie). They had many adventures in Alaska even before it was a state. One of her favorite stories to tell was how her and her friends kidnapped the governor of Alaska. She was known far and wide for her baking abilities. She used to bake pies to sell to the fishermen for extra money.
After returning to Iowa, Dorothy went to La James School of Cosmetology to become a beautician. She had her own salon on main street of Sheffield called The MarMic Salon (named after Mark and Mickie). After meeting her second husband, Donald Deam, she moved to the suburb of Chapin. There she owned The Rural Kurl & Boutique. Dorothy & Don had one daughter, Penny. Dorothy was a great homemaker. She was a great cook and again, baked up a storm of delicious chocolate chip cookies. Deam Manor was the hang out for many kids. Mom said she wished she had kept track of how many dozens of cookies she made over the years.
Dorothy was a member of the Eastern Star for many years and was on the board of directors for the Sheffield Care Center. After Don passed away, Dorothy moved to Mason City and lived in a condo near her sisters Feenie, Dena and Grace. “The girls” could be found going to bingo, playing cards or finding their way to a casino. In fact, her home away from home was the casino. She was pretty lucky on the Draw Poker machines. So “lucky” that that became her nickname at Deerfield Assisted Living. She loved spending time with friends and family and was always on the go! In the good old days when she could see, she was a great bowler!
At the tender age of 90, Dorothy fell and broke her hip. She needed surgery and rehab to learn to walk again. She was “lucky” enough to live at the Sheffield Care Center where she had many local friends living and loved the kind and caring staff.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husband Donald, son Mark, many siblings and their spouses, nieces, nephews and many, many friends.
Dorothy is survived by her daughter Michaelyn Eckhardt (Les Yaw) of Chapin; her daughter Penny Deam (Rich Reid) of Eden Prairie, MN; granddaughter Samantha Huisenga (Shannon Hardman) and their children Luke Clark, Hunter and Wyatt Michels, Jossie and Gracie Hardman; grandson Jeramy Huisenga (Jill Peterson) and their daughter Vanessa Huisenga; brother Marvin Kramer (Phyllis) of Worthington, MN; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Care Initiatives Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Association.
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