Dorothy Jean (Myres) Gatewood, 91, made her transition on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at Centerpoint Medical Center of Independence, Missouri, surrounded by family and friends. Her funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at First Christian Church of Blue Springs, 701 NW 15th Street, Blue Springs, MO. Visitation will be held from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. prior to the funeral service at the church. Interment will immediately follow at the Blue Springs Cemetery in Blue Springs, MO. Please consider bringing a pie to share in the fellowship hall following the burial. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Dorothy will be made to the family’s choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Meyers Funeral Chapel in Blue Springs. Memories of Dorothy and words of comfort for her family may be shared at meyersfuneralchapel.com
Dorothy was born on April 8, 1931, in Lone Jack, Missouri; the daughter of Claude and Lucy (Nowlin) Myres. She married Thomas James Gatewood on November 22, 1945, in Blue Springs, Missouri.
Dorothy (Dot) worked her first job as a soda jerk at Lowe’s Drugstore in Blue Springs, where she and her sister prepared fountain drinks for many local and area residents; including Harry S. Truman and his family. For a time, she and her family ran Gladstone Hall dance facility in Northeast Kansas City. She provided in-home caregiving to local individuals for many years, and then was employed at Harmon Electronics in Grain Valley. Following her retirement, Dorothy returned to being a homemaker and primary-care provider for her husband, Tom.
Dorothy was very dedicated to her immediate family, her siblings, and her friends. She served in many capacities at First Christian Church of Blue Springs as deacon, usher, and greeter; and she helped to prepare and serve many church dinners. She was an active member of Sunday school classes and women’s groups at church. She was also a member of the Pithian Sisters service auxiliary, and she enjoyed the friendships of her Red Hat Society companions as well.
Cooking and feeding others brought her joy. Some of her many specialties included fried chicken, goulash, wild game, butterhorns, snickerdoodles, and perfect pies. Many weekends she enjoyed boating, fishing, and waterskiing with family and friends at the Lake of the Ozarks. She was a surprisingly competitive card player. Dorothy very much enjoyed square, round, and line dancing. She was a co-founder of the Silver Dollar Squares Dance Club, and she co-sponsored The Flying Saucers and The Dancing Dandies. She had a strong work ethic and felt great satisfaction with creating a beautiful and comfortable home. She enjoyed collecting Precious Moments figurines, and as her coffee cup implied, the “Crazy Frog Lady” enjoyed collecting and displaying amphibian décor.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters (Marjorie, Naomi, and Sue); two brothers (Les and Lawrence); her beloved husband of 53 years, Tom; and her dear friend in later years, Harry Watkins. In addition to many loving friends and extended family, Dorothy is survived by a sister, Carol Osterberger; a brother, Bob Myres; and her sons, Jim (Terry) Gatewood of Columbia, Missouri and Alan (Ramona) Gatewood of Concordia, Missouri. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Damon (Michelle) Gatewood, Ashli (Tom) Renner, Amanda (Darrin) Davis, and Matthew Gatewood; five great-grandchildren: Brittani Renner, Austine Renner, Madeline Hermann, Everly Davis, and Alexander Davis; and two great-great-grandsons, Omarr Burress and Kolton Humble.
Dorothy’s love will live on in her family and all those who knew her. She will be remembered fondly for her style, grace, faith, frugality, elegance, resiliency, quick wit, and wonderful sense of humor.
Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with you at this sad time. Dorothy will be greatly missed by those who knew her.
Sending our love to all of the Gatewood family.
Jim/Linda Thee
Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with you at this difficult time. Dorothy will be missed by those who knew her.
Sending our love to all of the Gatewood family.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Gatewood family. We will miss this sweet lady.
She was a bright star in our Church family and loved by everyone.
My heartfelt condolences to the Gatewood family .
She was a very special friend and neighbor for many years.
Dorothy will be missed by many.
My prayers for her loved ones.
Dorothy was a blessing in our lives. Her friendship with our dear Uncle Harry Watkins brought him much joy. Dorothy embodied the resilience and “can do” spirit that we associate with the Greatest Generation. We never heard her complain despite challenging circumstances. She was endlessly grateful for the loving support of her beloved family, friends, and neighbors.
We shall miss her.
We are so sorry to hear of Dorthy’s passing. She had a full wonderful life & is at peace with loved ones. She will be greatly missed & always be with all of you in your hearts and minds.
This former “Dancing Dandy” remembers her fondly and her love of square dancing. That fun phase of my growing up years was all due to the Gatewood family. My sympathy to Jim and Alan.