Dorothy Gore

Dorothy Ruth Gore, 97, passed away Thursday March 19, 2020 at the Mercy Hospice House. Dorothy was born April 22, 1922 at home in Oxford Colorado, the daughter of John and Edith Klusman.

Dorothy was raised in Oxford Colorado and attended the two-room Oxford school house. She graduated from Durango High School in 1939 and attended Fort Lewis College at the old campus, and later finishing her teaching degree in Greeley Colorado. In the summers, she worked for the defense department to earn money for college. The first summer was at Gates Rubber Company in Denver, and the next summer she and her friend Ruth worked in Hanford Washington, the first full-scale plutonium reactor in the world. The plutonium was used in the nuclear bomb that ended the war with Japan. They worked as servers in the cafeteria for the 800 men who were stationed there.

Dorothy and her husband knew each other all their lives, but when Jim came home from WW II in July of 1945, they began dating. They were married on September 15, 1945. Their daughter Carolyn was born on January 1, 1949, and Evelyn was born on January 9, 1954. Dorothy stayed at home with the girls until Evelyn was about 3. She was asked by the Durango School District to take a teaching position at Mason Elementary. She taught there a few years, and then moved to Needham Elementary, where she taught until her retirement in 1982. Her Legacy was her students, and heard from many of them over the years, thanking her. There is a scholarship through P.E.O. in her name.

Dorothy loved to play bridge. She and Jim played in couples bridge club that played together for more than 30 years, and another couples group that played for around 10 years. She also played with a few women’s groups, and was still playing at the Senior Center. She was a member of P.E.O., St. Mark’s Espiscopal Church, Neodelphians, Rebecca’s Eastern Star and Past Noble Grand.

Dorothy and Jim loved to travel, and traveled to most of the states in the United States. They took a six week trip to Alaska in their camper with daughters Evelyn and Carolyn. They also traveled to Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and to Europe in their later years, not to mention several cruises.

Dorothy is survived by her daughters: Carolyn Scott of Highlands Ranch Colorado, Evelyn McLaughlin(spouse Kirk) of Bayfield Colorado; grandchildren Ryan McLaughlin (spouse Yunnuen) and their daughters Mariana and Paulina; Tyler McLaughlin (spouse Bobbi) and their daughter Lucy; and nieces and nephews Ruthann(Carl), Bob(Paula), Carl(Jody), Twilla, Judy(John), Linda(Jim) and Ralph(Gail), several great nieces and nephews, several great-great nieces and nephews, and even two great-great-great nieces.

There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 2pm at St Mark's Episcopal Church in Durango. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Marks Episcopal Church, P.E.O., and the Senior Center in Durango.