Dorothy Jean Dykhouse

Rock Rapids, IA

     Dorothy Dykhouse, age 93, of Rock Rapids, IA died Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

     Graveside service will be 12:00 noon, Friday, March 6^th at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids, IA.

     Family and friends will gather at 11:00 a.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids and travel in procession to Riverview Cemetery.

     Memorials may be directed to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation

     Dorothy Jean Dykhouse was born on October 12, 1926 in Rock Rapids, IA, the daughter of Jans and Dora (Getting) Dykhouse. She grew up in Rock Rapids and graduated in 1944 from Wilson High School in Rock Rapids where she enjoyed Phys Ed and playing flute in the band. Following graduation, she attended the University of Iowa, worked summers at Templar Park Hotel, and became a dedicated Hawkeye fan. She left the university after two years for work as a government secretary in Des Moines and Washington DC. She worked on capitol hill for Senator Bourke B. Hickenlooper, who was the senior republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Senator Roger Jepsen for whom she staffed his Sioux City office. In between she worked for Representative Wiley Mayne who was a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate Affair. Dorothy never talked about her work, but it is known she especially enjoyed Iowa visitors to the congressmen’s offices, liaising between the Iowa congressmen and Iowa applicants to the military academies, and Washington Redskin games. Additionally, Dorothy typed the manuscript for Edward L. Beach’s novel “Cold is the Sea”. After retiring from government service, Dorothy returned to Rock Rapids to help care for her parents. She enjoyed traveling, spending summer days at Templar Park on Spirit Lake, refinishing furniture, researching Dykhouse and Getting genealogy, and knitting sweaters, scarves, socks, and many other gifts for generations of family members. Dorothy was a member of the United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids, Eastern Star, and PEO.

     Dorothy is survived by two nieces: Dalyce (Michael) Sellers of Sundance, WY and Barbara (Dan) McNamara of White Bear Lake, MN; two nephews Dana (LaDawn) Dykhouse of Sioux Falls, SD and Robert (Brynn) Ladd of Rock Rapids, IA, and other extended family.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, Jans and Dora Dykhouse; her sister Eleanor Ladd and brother Emerson Dykhouse.