Obituary: Dorothy Clements

Dorothy Steele Clements, 86, passed away Oct. 26 at her home in Fruita. She was born March 29, 1926, on the Cross Ranch at the foot of Douglas Pass to Milton and Doris Steele. She grew up on the ranch on Big Foundation with five sisters and two brothers. She started school at Wolf Canyon School when she was five. She rode horseback to school, except for the year her and her siblings took the teacher to school and they got to drive the wagon. She graduated from Meeker High School. After graduation, she went to Denver to work for the War Effort. On Jan. 5, 1946, Dorothy married childhood friend, Noel “Pete” Clements, after he got out of the service and returned home. From this union were three children: Burton Allen, Bart Milton and Zelda June.
Dorothy will be remembered as a dedicated wife, mothe, and grandmother with a “do it myself” attitude. She loved to read, fish, camp and travel. She also enjoyed going to Denver to watch the Broncos, Rockies and Avalanche games.
Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Noel “Pete” Clements; daughter, Zelda Cadman; parents Milton and Doris Steele; three infant brothers, George Milton, Don Lindsey and John Mansfield; brother, Clark “Bill” Steele; and three sisters, Eleanor “Tiny” Alfred, Mary Bagley and June Vaughan.
She is survived by sons, Burton (Joyce) Clements of Craig, Colo., and Bart (Shirley) Clements of Glennville, Ga.; brother Jim Steele of Rangley; sisters Jennie Mott of Rangley and Virginia Tillotson of Kennewick, Wash.; eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held Oct. 29 at Rangley Cemetery.