Obituary: Beddor, Dorothy Ruth Mai
Age 84
BEDDOR, Dorothy Ruth (Mai)
August 25, 1927 -
January 23, 2012
Dorothy Ruth Mai Beddor passed away peacefully after spending a joyous Sunday celebrating her 65th wedding anniversary to her best friend Harold Lloyd Beddor.
She slipped from consciousness late Sunday afternoon.
Dorothy Ruth lived a full and happy life.
Shortly after the end of World War II while working at the Burley Idaho airport, she met a young handsome sailor who wanted to take flying lessons.
With only a motorcycle and little more than the clothes on his back, he somehow convinced her to take a chance on him.
He became her soul mate.
His love of flying blossomed into a career with the FAA and ultimately he retired as Chief of Flight Service at the Butte Montana Airport.
They took time to enjoy each other and grow before starting a family.
Dorothy Ruth always worked and was proud of her various careers.
Her parents had been first generation immigrants from Germany, and instilled in her the fulfillment that comes from working hard.
She told great stories of her various careers.
Her career highlights included working as a railroad telegrapher, passing up orders to trains with a specially made stick as they sped through her small outpost in Kimama, Idaho.
It was a dangerous career, and women were only hired for this job, because most of the men were away at war.
During the war she also worked as Chief Clerk of Ordinance at the German Prisoner Of War Camp in southern Idaho.
She reported directly to the Major in charge of the Camp.
Just prior to starting a family, she was a telephone operator, and at various times went back to work for the phone company.
At one time both her and her oldest daughter Marlene worked together at the phone company in Grand Junction, Colorado.
While raising her children she owned a flower shop that gained such acclaim, she provided flowers for the most prestigious events in all of Western Montana.
Later she worked for Montana Power in Butte, Montana.
She watched over her flock with devotion.
Her husband, Harold, her daughters Marlene Beddor Atiyeh, Barbara Beddor and Sally Beddor Nowak, and their spouses Cory Atiyeh, Toby Steward, and Scott Nowak.
It was often joked that she loved her boys more than her girls as she took sides with her sons-in-law during any good natured disagreement.
But her biggest joy of all was her three grandchildren… Sam Atiyeh, Danika and Nikolas Nowak.
Her flock also included a great number of animals…sheep, dogs, cats, chickens, horses, she loved all animals.
Sick and wounded animals would just show up at her door and she would nurse them back to health.
She was a steadfast caregiver.
Recently she would not pass up a chance to dog sit Lucy or Wally.
Gentle and kind, yet a fierce competitor.
Family board games of UNO or Sequence would traditionally find her on the winning team.
She also loved to continue learning and she embraced technology.
She loved her IPAD, especially because it allowed her to beat her daughters in Words with Friends.
She loved the outdoors.
Camping with her young family at Minors Lake or skiing during the winter.
She was an excellent skier, and a member of the Maverick Mountain Ski Patrol.
She patrolled each Wednesday…Ladies Day.
Her partners on the ski patrol were young Catholic Priests, and they made quite a team.
She loved adventure and traveling.
After Harold retired from the FAA they traveled to Costa Rica where she loved learning a new culture.
From there they hit the open road in their small motor home, and spent several years touring the country before they settled down in Meridian, Idaho a suburb of Boise.
Recently to be closer to her youngest grand children, she and Harold moved to Hayden, Idaho.
In the last several years she encountered a heart ailment and yet she was determined to continue at the same pace, and till the end it was joked that no one in the family could keep up with her when she was shopping.
Costco was her favorite hangout.
She never met a stranger, and no one could resist engaging in conversation with her.
In addition to her husband, daughters and their families she is survived by her brothers Norman and Walter Mai.
A celebration of her life will be held at 10 a.m. this Saturday, January 28th at the Hayden Chapel of the Yates Funeral Home.
Refreshments will be served afterwards.