Dora Mae Williams

Rupert - Dora Mae Williams, 89, of Rupert, passed away Saturday, June 13, 2015, at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert.

She was born Oct. 19, 1925, in Omaha, Neb., the daughter of Earl Henry and Mae Rose Schertz White. As a child, Dora Mae lived in Sutherland, Neb., Minnesota, and North Platte, Neb. Following high school graduation, she began working for the FBI in Washington, DC, becoming a fingerprint expert. She chose to leave the FBI to attend Chillicothe Business College becoming a certified stenographer. Upon graduating from Chillicothe, with her skills in high demand, she worked for several businesses around the state of Nebraska, a title company, the Farm Service Agency, and Sears as a finance manager.

In 1952, after moving to Ontario, Ore., she worked for a title company. In 1957, upon moving to Burley, she worked at the city finance office until accepting a position with the Bureau of Reclamation as a secretary and later as an executive secretary. After retiring from the Bureau of Reclamation in 1978, she worked for the Amalgamated Sugar Company for several years and later for Cassia Memorial Hospital as a transcriptionist.

Dora Mae married the love of her life, Elwood D. Williams, on Oct. 3, 1948, in North Platte, Neb. Together, she and Elwood farmed in North Platte and Ontario, Ore., prior to moving to Rupert in 1957 when they drew a homestead on Unit B of the Minidoka Project. In addition to being a private pilot, Dora Mae enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, painting, taking organ lessons, and traveling with Elwood in their RV around the United States.

She is survived by her children, Robert L Williams (Tina) of Paul, and Patricia Barnier (Paul) of Poway, Calif.; her grandchildren, Grace Wittman (Nicholas) of Hazelton, Matthew Williams (Mandi) of Rupert, Daniel Barnier of LaJolla, Calif., Tamithea Lau (Robert) of Wisbaden, Germany, and Megan Williams of Rupert; and her great-grandchildren, Emma Wittman, Payton Williams, Taylor Williams, and William Wittman.

Dora Mae was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother, Zola White; her husband, Elwood; and a brother, Jacque White.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 18, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends and family may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Thursday prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Paul Cemetery.