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Obituary: Dolores Marie (Dotson) Yarnott

October 25, 1929 ~ November 16, 2020 (age 91)
Posted at 9:59 AM, Dec 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-03 12:01:17-05

Dolores passed away on November 16, 2020 at the ripe old age of 91 in Great Falls, Montana from complications of lung cancer and dementia.

Dolores was born October 25, 1929 in Lewistown, Montana, the eldest of five children born to Enos Laurel and Fern Leona Dotson. With the death of her father in a mining accident in Neihart, Montana, Fern had to work three jobs to support the family, and Dolores at age 15 had to step up and help look after the younger ones.

Dolores graduated from Missoula County High in 1946, and then attended the University of Washington to earn a degree as an English teacher. She was only there for a short period of time because of her poor health. Later Dolores moved to California and held several jobs. Eventually, she moved to Great Falls, Montana where she met John Harry Yarnott. They were married on April 23, 1954 and later had three daughters, Diana, Linda and Nancy.

Dolores was a homemaker for many years. She sewed Easter outfits, summer play clothes, and school clothes. She mended socks so well (using a lightbulb, of course) that it was hard to tell where the original fabric ended and the mended area began. Her needlework was flawless, and she passed her skills of knitting, embroidery, crocheting, sewing, and mending down to her girls. She also took the time to teach her girls how to find faces in the summer clouds; to help with grammar, artwork, play card games like cribbage, rummy and solitaire, and to encourage each daughter to grow their talents and interests. When visiting the mountains, she taught them the different kinds of plants, what they were called and if they were helpful, harmful or delicious.

When her youngest daughter attended high school, she entered the work force again as a legal secretary. She held a long time position with the law firm of Bob Emmons before she retired. Then at the age of 67, Dolores got her driver’s license which gave her the freedom to travel to her favorite spot in the world (as she put it) – Neihart.

Recently her grandson asked her what her secret was to living to be as old as she was, and she said, “No stress. Stress only shortens your life, and it’s not worth worrying about everything”. She was right!! Dolores survived scarlet fever as a child, a heart defect, two bouts of breast cancer, and small intestine cancer. It’s unfortunate that in the end another round of cancer took her to her maker. Dolores had a saying that none of us will ever forget, “Oh well, that’s life in general”.

To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Croxford Funeral Home website.