Elizabeth J. Douthit, 85, Dickinson, died Saturday, August 2, 2014 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Elizabeth’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 8, 2014 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Todd Kreitinger as the celebrant. Inurnment will take place at Hobart Cemetery, Hobart, Okla. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., with Deacon Ron Keller presiding, at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday.
Elizabeth Josephine Bruner was born November 24, 1928 in Oklahoma City, Okla. She was the daughter of Robert and Frances (Wagner) Bruner who were both born in Oklahoma Territory. Although Elizabeth lived in nine states, the longest being North Dakota, her heart was always attached to her home state of Oklahoma.
Elizabeth graduated from Seminole High School, Seminole, Okla. in 1947. She attended and graduated from the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha in 1951 with a degree in Speech Pathology. On October 3, 1952 she was married to William Douthit at St. Patrick’s Church of Seminole. Elizabeth was most pleased with her six children – Victoria, Kincel, Richard, Robert, Christopher, and Stephen. As the family moved and lived in Oklahoma, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and North Dakota, Elizabeth remained in the home with the children.
It was the fall of 1967 when the family arrived in Dickinson. In 1968 Elizabeth was provided the opportunity of becoming a speech pathologist for Dickinson Public and Parochial Schools. This became her love and calling. Elizabeth’s work was greatly appreciated and respected by her colleagues and the many students and families she served. She assured her less fortunate students were provided basic needs such as clothing or caps, boots, or gloves in the winter. Mrs. Douthit always had a warm smile and welcome ear for all. Outside of her professional work Elizabeth volunteered her expertise to both adults and youth who had speech impediments. After her children left home Elizabeth became a foster parent to a number of special needs children. She also gave of her time at the ARC Aid Thrift Store and served on the board of directors for Dickinson’s Roughrider Days in the early 1970s.
In her retirement years she served as a sorority housemother to Gamma Phi Beta at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis before returning to her beloved Dickinson.
Elizabeth was appreciated by many and never passed up the opportunity to chat with others or greet a baby. She loved all and lived “to treat others as you would want to be treated”. She was very fond of college football with a particular passion for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. Elizabeth was a member of the American Association of University Women, Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames, and SARTA (retired teachers).
She is survived by her sister, Anne (John) Dale, Aurora, Colo.; daughter, Victoria (Robert) Siefken, Dickinson; three sons, Richard Douthit, McPherson, Kan., Christopher (Kathleen) Douthit, Grand Forks, and Stephen (Johnna) Douthit, Dickinson; one daughter-in-law, Roxanna Douthit. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Jennifer Siefken, Jessica Siefken, Valerie Martinez, Robert Siefken, Mollie Douthit, Margaret (John) Oelke, Elizabeth (Joseph) Devencenzi, Christopher Douthit, Benjamin Douthit; and one great granddaughter, Lillianna Mui.
She was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Frederick and Norma Douthit; brother, Robert (Inge) Bruner; and sons, Kincel, and Robert Douthit.
The family asks gifts be provided to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church where they will be provided in kind to the needy youth of Dickinson.
