Dorothy I. (Hangman) Arends

Dorothy Irene (Hangman) Arends passed away on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at the Elms Health Care Center in Ponca, NE, while surrounded by her family.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, October 19, 2012 at Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca, NE with Rev. Dr. Bud Christianson officiating. Burial will be in the Ponca City Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will begin at 5:00 P.M., with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 18, 2012 at the church. Online condolences to the family may be posted at www.mohrfuneralhome.com.Dorothy was born on July 1, 1922 six miles south of Maskell, NE, the 5th of 7 children born to Albert and Inga (Nelson) Hangman. She attended school at Grand Ridge. Following her graduation from Maskell High School she went on to Wayne Normal School and received her teaching certificate. She taught country school for a short while. When WW II broke out she and her sister went to Hastings, NE and worked in the ammunition manufacturing plant to aid the war effort.On July 24, 1944 she married Donald Arends in Ponca, NE. They made their home five miles west of Ponca on Silver Creek. Here they lived and farmed and raised 3 daughters for 37 years before retiring into town in 1981. Don passed away in 1994 and Dorothy continued to live in their home until 2008. She then moved to Pioneer Square, and lived there until June, 2012, when she moved to the Elms.Dorothy was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca and the Ponca American Legion Auxiliary. She especially enjoyed playing cards, doing crossword puzzles, and was an avid reader. Her whole life she found so much joy in the beauty of nature, and the countryside she grew up and lived in. She never tired of rides in the country or the park to see the trees and scenery. Through her, we learned to appreciate and not take for granted the beauty of all the seasons.Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Arends (Mary Riley) of Omaha, Cindy Purucker (Lynn) of Ponca, Donell Watkins (Jim) of Hubbard; six grandchildren, Jim (Nikki) Purucker, Joe Purucker (Lisa Chen), all of Ponca; Valerie (Eric) Belles of Omaha, JJ (Maria) Watkins of Hubbard, Tom (Ashley) Watkins of Hubbard, Matthew Watkins (Jessica Claussen) of Wakefield; seven great-grandchildren, and one on the way; sisters, Pearl Peterson of Ponca, Wanda (Vernon) Johnson of Waldron, AR, and Gloria Pfister of Gray Court, NC; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Edna and Lynn Birkley of Ponca; and many nieces and nephews.Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Don; her parents, Albert and Inga Hangman; three brothers, LaFayette, Arden and Norman Hangman; in-laws, Ina Hangman, Maureen Hangman, LeRoy Pfister, LaVerne Nelson and Lawrence Peterson; parents-in-law, Walter and Anna Arends; and brothers-in-law, Walter Jr. "Bud", and Darreld Arends.In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice of Siouxland.