Dorothy M. Trussell, 83, of Spearfish, passed away peacefully on October 15, 2012, at Box Butte Hospital, Alliance, NE.
Funeral Services will be at 10:30 AM, Saturday, October 20, at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel, Spearfish. Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery, Deadwood, SD.
Dorothy was born to Robert D. Claunch and Bernice (Brown) Claunch on January 28, 1929, at home in Pluma, SD. She went through the 8th grade in Pluma and graduated from Deadwood High School in 1947. When Dorothy was a junior in high school, she had the care of her two younger siblings for five months while her dad was at the Mayo Clinic with her mother. It was during this time that George Sitts was on the loose. After graduation, Dorothy worked for Clinton Richards as a legal secretary. On May 2, 1948, Dorothy married the love of her life, Ralph G. Trussell. Together they raised four children. After the younger boys were in high school, Dorothy went back to work as a legal secretary at the Homestake Legal Department.
Ralph and Dorothy lived in Lead, surrounded by wonderful friends and neighbors until 1973, when they moved to Spearfish. They enjoyed over 60 years of marriage.
Survivors include her children Ralph D. (Alice) Trussell, Hulett, Wyoming; Kathleen D. (Robert) Coverdale, Midland, SD; Robert C. (Cheryl) Trussell, Sheridan, Wyoming; Bruce A. (Karen) Trussell, Alliance, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, her father and mother, four brothers, Billy, Jimmy, Johnny and Joe, and a sister Winona(Winnie) Williams.
A memorial has been established to the First Baptist Church of the Northern Hills in Deadwood, SD.
Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel & Crematory Services, Spearfish, SD. Online condolences may be written to www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com.