Obituary of Dorothy Melinda Hibbs

In Loving Memory Dorothy Melinda Hibbs (Dottie) of Parker, Colorado, passed away on Good Friday, April 19, 2019, at the age of 97 years. She was born in March of 1922 at a farm house in Ute, Iowa, to James and Myrtle Brockelsby. Dottie spent her childhood on a farm in Iowa and later moved to Alberta, Canada. Wanting to see more of the world after high school, she enrolled in a massage therapy school in Chicago. She met her beloved A. Owen Hibbs at a YMCA dance in Chicago and married him in January of 1942. She thought she was giving up her dreams of traveling and seeing the world when she got married, but she and Owen were fortunate enough to be able to do a lot of traveling together throughout their marriage. Owen enlisted in the service and World War II took them to many places around the country. They settled in Denver after the war and raised three children. They enjoyed 77 happy and fulfilling years of marriage. Dottie loved her family and friends. She was hospitable, kind, warm, and friendly. She could strike up a conversation with anyone that she met. She always made guests feel welcome. She was a fantastic cook. She was known by her family as the energizer bunny because she was constantly cooking, cleaning, reaching out, and helping others. She believed in the golden rule, “doing unto others what you would have them do unto you.” She was an optimist and knew the secret of contentment. She always said, “Hope for the best, expect the worst, and be satisfied with something in between.” She was employed in many capacities over the years. One of her earliest jobs was in a jewelry store where she helped GI’s pick out something special for their sweethearts. She also worked as a book-keeper in the accounting department at Montgomery Ward, but her favorite and lifelong occupation was that of mother, grandmother, and homemaker. She loved children. She accompanied Rita to all of her 4H and Little Britches activities. She sewed ballet costumes and attended recitals with Crystal and taught Holly to ski by pulling her up the hill over and over until she could slide down in an upright position. In addition to her role as homemaker and mom, she volunteered for many organizations, including the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. She served many years as a volunteer auxiliary ski patrol woman, giving first aid to injured skiers. She was an avid golfer and played in tournaments all over the country. She enjoyed bridge club with her friends and was active in the United Airlines pilot’s wives organization. Her kindness and sensitivity were even extended to the family’s pets and the wild animals that lived near her home. She has been described by many as a “little ray of sunshine in the lives of everyone around her.” Dottie was preceded in death by her daughter Barbara Joyce Hibbs, her parents James and Myrtle Brockelsby, her brother Leonard Brockelsby (Ethel), and her sister LaRoyce Swanson (Ray). Dottie leaves a lifetime of cherished memories to her surviving husband, Owen, her children, Rita Ferguson, Crystal Pierre, and Holly Muyskens (Paul), six grandchildren, Rhonda Simmons, Jody Losaw, Troy Bryan (Lori), Kelly Bryan, Nikki Birdsall (Greg), Kathryn Muyskens (Ray Hsiao), three great-grandchildren, Devon Losaw, Angelica Bryan, Mikayla Bryan, her sister Nellie Hrdlicka, and many nieces and nephews and their families. She will be missed by all. A “Celebration of Life” service will be held for both Dottie and Owen in the chapel at Ponderosa Valley Funeral Services on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. and a memorial service will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 1:15 p.m. on the same day. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to go to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231, or contact heart.org. Or you can make a contribution in Dottie’s name to the charity of your choice.