Dortha Irene Harrison

Dortha was born May 19, 1925 to Claude and Ruby Greenwell at the family farm in Mt. Zion, Missouri. She was the youngest of 3 children in the Greenwell home. Growing up she helped around the farm and assisted her father with combining work around the area. She attended Deepwater High School, was a member of the Pep Squad, and graduated in 1942. She received a teaching certificate from Central Missouri College in Warrensburg, MO. Dortha taught for several years at a single room schoolhouse near Mt. Zion, MO. She then moved to Clinton, MO where she was a bank teller for 12 years at the Union State Bank. Dortha was beautiful inside and out. She was runner-up in the American Royal Beauty Pageant (~1956), where she was featured in the Kansas City newspaper, and received modeling offers afterwards. Dortha married Marion P. Harrison of Clinton, MO on March 4, 1957. They moved to St. Louis, MO where she worked as a social worker doing old age assistance. In 1961 their daughter Michele Harrison was born. Dortha became a full-time mother and was devoted to her family. In 1971 the Harrisons moved to Denver, Colorado when Marion was transferred because of his job with Brown Trailer Company. Dortha assisted her husband with bookkeeping when he founded Semi-Trailers & Parts. Co, until her husband passed away December 13, 1987. Dortha experienced a number of serious health issues for the past 17 years. She eventually moved in with her daughter, Michele, and they became constant companions. Dortha accompanied Michele daily to her work and physical therapy sessions, and was well-loved by everyone. She touched so many lives and was an inspiration to Michele's patients. She and her daughter enjoyed traveling the world together and creating many special memories. Dortha is preceded in death by her parents: Claude and Ruby Greenwell, her husband Marion P. Harrison, her sister Claudia Barnes, her infant brother, and brother-in-law Fred Barnes. She is survived by her daughter, Michele Harrison of Denver, CO, her 2 cousins Bob Barker of Bend, OR, and Bill Barker of Spartanburg, SC, and her 3 nephews: Fred Barnes Jr of Gig Harbor, WA, Ed Barnes of Brookfield, WI and Gary Barnes of Kansas City, MO. She is also survived by her longtime friends Lorraine Frazier Calvin of Liberty Hill, TX and Ron Hamblin of Mt. Zion, MO. Dortha was a lifetime member of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. She was very active in the Denver Bible Study Fellowship or BSF. Visitation will be February 27, 2013 from 3:00-7:00 pm at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home, 3101 S Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80227 Funeral services will be held at Mt. Zion Methodist Church in Mt Zion, MO on March 4, 2013 at 2:30. Donations can be made to the: Mt Zion Cemetery Fund. C/O Lester Rufenacht 937 SE U Hwy Deepwater, MO 64740 Please share your memories of Dortha and condolences with her family by signing the Guestbook below.