Sylvia Doretha Stein Blackburn was born March 15, 1940, to Herbert William and Opal Lee Neal Stein in Houston, Texas. She was firstborn, followed by her sister, Leatrice, and brothers, Herbert, Thomas and Solomon. She was proud to be a “sassy red-headed Texan”. Doretha graduated from Sam Houston High School in 1959, went to Utah, and soon met the love of her life, Duane E Blackburn, at Brigham Young University.
They were married on September 17, 1959, in the Salt Lake City Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were blessed with two daughters, LaDonna Renea Blackburn Condit and Yvetta Ann Blackburn. When Duane died on July 22, 2024, she was heartbroken but found some comfort in her belief of their eternal marriage.
Duane and Doretha were always together and spent time on the road with their knife business, making many long-time friends. They enjoyed hunting and fishing. She took pride in shooting her own deer. Doretha was confident baiting the hook, catching, cleaning and cooking the fish she caught. She enjoyed cooking, canning, sewing, handwork, making quilts and doing puzzles.
Doretha is survived by her grandchildren, Ashley & Chuck Thom; Bobby Condit; and Aundre Condit & Lindsay Barber; great grandchildren, Ryan, Colton, Nick, Dominic, Bowen, Terrence, Timber and Carter; 8 great-great grandchildren; her brother, Herb & Renee Stein; Duane’s brother, Merle & Jan Blackburn and his sister, Kaye Stevens; and many nieces and nephews. Doretha is preceded in death by her beloved husband, daughters, parents, sister and two brothers.
We express gratitude to her previous caregivers and to the staff at the Huckleberry Beehive Home in Great Falls for her loving care during the end of her life.
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