Dorothy Mae Chrisjohn... Age 99

Memorials: Pottawatomie Ruritan Club

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Dorothy Mae Hills Chrisjohn, the second daughter of Ansel and Jessie Hills, passed from this life Saturday, May 22, 2021 at the home of John and Cherry Chrisjohn.

Dorothy, the last of the seven siblings, was born on Thursday, March 30, 1922 and lived most of her 99 years in Lane, Kansas. She spent her elementary years at Christian Ridge rural school; then graduated from Lane High School with the Class of 1941. In order to get that high school diploma she, like most of her sisters, stayed and worked in the town of Lane with an aunt.

She married Carl Benjamin Chrisjohn on August 17, 1942. This was right before he was inducted into the U.S. Army. Dorothy gave birth to a daughter, Marilyn Kay, in June, 1943. When old enough, mother and daughter traveled by train to wherever Ben was stationed in the U.S. to live in rented rooms with him. But once Ben was sent overseas, Dorothy moved back to Lane.

Once released from the Army, the couple lived in many different places, including New York City. But Dorothy's heart belonged to Lane, and she and Marilyn moved back. After a short amount of time Ben decided the Lane area might be a good place to raise a family and he moved back as well. Thus began many years of moving from place to place in the general area, and the addition of two boys to the family: John Ansel born in June, 1949 and Charles Lee born November, 1952.

In 1957 they purchased a small farm just one block west of the Lane School. Over a period of time a new house was built by Ben on the property. Eleven grandchildren knew the joys of this house. As time went on, many great-grandchildren were added, at least twenty-five, and seven great great- grandchildren!

Unfortunately, Ben only lived to see the birth of one of his great grandchildren, but Dorothy spent 64 years of her life in that Lane house!

or as Adam Chrisjohn would say, "God bless grandma Dorothy. I will never forget her playing shortstop when we'd all play baseball or dragging tree branches after storms. The strongest person I've ever known.