Obit of Dollinger, Isabelle Ruth Ditsch - Washington County, Oklahoma

Submitted by:  Gene Phillips  <okarchives@comcast.net>  30 Oct 2005
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Dollinger, Isabelle Ruth Ditsch

Isabelle Ruth Ditsch Dollinger, 80, of Bedford passed away peacefully 
Thursday, March 24, 2005, at a local hospital.

Funeral: A rosary will be said at 9 a.m. Monday, followed at 10 a.m. with 
a Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Apostle Church, 7341 Glenview 
Dr., North Richland Hills. Burial: Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park. 
Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home.

Memorials: Donations may be made to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch and 
Affiliates, P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174; or to Easter Seals, 617-
7th Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 761004.

Isabelle Ditsch was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, and grew up in Minooka, 
Ill. She married her grade school sweetheart and farming-community 
neighbor, Bob Dollinger, during World War II. When Bob was discharged from 
the Navy, the couple pursued a long career with Phillips Petroleum, living 
in Phillips, Borger, Bartlesville, Okla., and Toledo, Ohio. When Bob 
joined Sid Richardson Oil Company in Fort Worth, he and Isabelle moved to 
Bedford. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1994 and 
eventually retired in Bedford. Bob, a chemical engineer and manager, died 
in April 2001. Isabelle and Bob raised four children. Ken lives in 
McMinnville, Ore., with his wife, Linda. Their two children, Karen and 
Matt, and two grandchildren, Megan and Paige, live nearby. Richard, 
deceased, was an electrical engineering professor at State University of 
New York at Buffalo. Gerry is in DeSoto with wife, Becky, and daughter, 
Christina. Mary lives on a ranch near Fort Hancock with her husband, Jim 
Alcorn and children, Kim and Trey.

Well-known by family, friends and complete strangers for her irrepressible 
sense of humor, her attitude in life was that it if it isn't funny, it 
just isn't worth doing. She loved Halloween with its gags, costumes and 
decorations, and carried the spirit of that holiday with her all year 
long. In her later years she identified her occupation as humorist. On the 
subject of death after a long life, Isabelle referred to it as "having 
used up all my birthdays."

She was very active, even after removal of a brain tumor, that left her 
partially paralyzed at age 52. In fact, her wheelchair became a platform 
and centerpiece for her imaginative sense of humor. She loved to sew, had 
considerable art talent and learned piano and accordion entirely by ear. 
She took great pride in keeping diaries, journals and records, and in 
keeping daily life organized. A special joy was correspondence with 
friends and family, and she maintained contact with scores of people 
across the country and into Canada-friendships spanning decades.

Published in the Star-Telegram on 3/26/2005.
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