Obituary of Dorothy Irene Blair

Dorothy Irene (Forgy) Blair of Camdenton, Mo., the daughter of James W. and Margaret E. (Parshall) Forgy, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 16, 1920, and passed away at Lake Regional Hospital on June 30, 2009, at the age of 88 years. Dorothy graduated from high school in Grand Island, Nebraska, where she met Charles C. (C.C.) Blair, who at the time was a district sales manager for the McCall Publishing Corporation. They were married in Grand Island on July 10, 1940, and sustained that marriage for over 67 years until C.C.'s death in 2008. Following his service in World War II, Dorothy and C.C. settled in Camdenton where he was a partner in developing his family's business, Blair Cedar & Novelty Works, and where they raised their six children. Dorothy made a life-long profession of being a devoted and supportive wife, a loving and nurturing mother, an unrivaled homemaker, a valued friend, and a valuable member of the community. She was both wise and witty; shy and feisty; reserved and playful. She was humble, modest, hardworking, resourceful, and generous. Dorothy's children, and their children, never hesitated to go to her for advice and could always rely on her for support. Neither her family nor her friends ever tired of her sharp wit or her wonderful sense of humor. During the years her children were growing up, when C.C.'s work required that he spend long periods of time away, she was often solely responsible for maintaining her family and her home, and she did an extraordinary job. In 1986, and again in 1995, she and her husband established an "Excellence in Education" trust fund to benefit, through scholarships and grants, the continuing education of students and teachers in the Camdenton School District. The funds also support the "Teacher of the Year" program and other long-term projects. In 2007, the school�s Board of Education dedicated the library and media center at the new high school in their honor, as their legacy to all future students. In addition to her husband and her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by two brothers, W.J. (Jim) Forgy and John F. (Jack) Forgy. She is survived by her sister, Patricia Haylan, and one brother, Joseph V. Forgy; by her children: Dr. Carol Danuser and husband Blake, Roxana Duncan and husband Tom, Bruce Blair and wife Mary, Ellen Butts and husband Joe, Amy Jones and husband Curt, and Samuel Blair and his significant other, Sunshine Knaebel, who were Dorothy�s special caregivers for more than a year; by sixteen beloved grandchildren: Ann Loeppky, Gregory Loeppky, Mark Danuser (Christine), Katie Hobbs (Ryan), Stacey Sharpe (Bob), Katie Mosier, Brian Butts (Catrina), Christopher Butts (Tiffany), Melissa Callahan (Brent), Leah Jones (Jon Radcliff), Sarah LaBrot (Brad), Anna Jones, Michael Blair, Wesley Tull, Sierra Lusch, and Codi Knaebel; and by fourteen great-grandchildren, who were all adored by their "Granny" and who adored her in return. She also leaves numerous other relatives and many friends. Her passing leaves a huge hole in the hearts of all those she held dear, but the countless joyful memories of Dorothy will help to soothe that wound. She will be loved and missed forever.