Dorothy File

Dorothy Pearl (Phelps) File was born to William Frederick and Pearl Montez (Marley) Phelps on January 15, 1917 in rural Wayne, KS on her parent's farm. She passed from this life peacefully on Sunday, January 4, 2015 at the age of 97 years, just eleven days shy of her ninety-eighth birthday, at the Hilltop Assisted Living Center in Beloit, KS.

She lived with her parents on the family farm in rural Wayne, KS until the age of two, when her parents purchased a farm and moved the family to rural Cloud County southwest of Concordia. Dorothy's sister, Doris Pauline (Phelps) Schocke was born in 1921 and currently lives in Overland Park, KS.

Dorothy and Doris attended the rural school at Fairview District No. 67, a one-room school, in rural Cloud County that was one mile south of their home. She graduated from 8th grade in 1931 at the Concordia High School auditorium. She attended one year of high school in Concordia. On Sunday, August 16, 1936, Dorothy married Cecil Harry File in Salina, KS at the parsonage of the First M.E. Church. For those that knew Dorothy well, she noted "Temperature 122 degrees, hottest day on record". This union was blessed with four children: Dickie, Pauline, Irma and Lois.

The Files started housekeeping on a farm northeast of Beloit, where both Dickie and Pauline were born. In November of 1950, they purchased the current family farm and worked for over one year fixing the house and making it ready for their family. In December of 1951 the File family moved to their current home one mile east of Beloit. The couple raised their four children and farmed in the Beloit, Kansas area.

Dorothy was a member of the Baptist Church in Beloit, KS and was baptized there in 1949. She was active in the church helping with church dinners and making bread for communion.

Dorothy was raised in a family rich with traditions and she has passed many of those same traditions to her own family. Many or her children and grandchildren can remember family gatherings to celebrate birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries. Everyone was always welcome at Dorothy's home. She was able to celebrate her last Christmas, with family, at the farm. Dorothy always enjoyed singing to her children and grandchildren. She was an avid gardener and had the "greenest" thumb in Mitchell County. She shared her beautiful irises and many of her family have samples of these in their own gardens to remind them of Dorothy's love for the outdoors.

Cecil and Dorothy enjoyed many trips across the country seeing the sights. Dorothy loved taking pictures and meticulously compiled albums documenting every photo with the date, time, contents and weather conditions. She loved showing the albums to the kids and grandkids and telling stories from the trips. They were married 66 ½ years when Cecil died in 2003.

Dorothy was a strong-willed woman with a passion for life. She overcame many health issues throughout her life and always had a positive outlook for the future. She will be missed dearly, but her family and friends are truly blessed that she shared so many years with them. In only Grandma's words: "I love you, I love all of you"!

Proceeding Dorothy in death were her parents Pearl in 1956 and Fred in 1957, husband Cecil in 2003 and son Dickie in 2012.

Left to celebrate her life and continue on her legacy are three daughters Pauline Schlaefli and husband Larry of Hays, KS, Irma Davison and husband Steve of Fresno, CA and Lois Krone and friend James Blazer of Beloit, KS; Daughter-in-law: Phyllis File of Beloit, KS; Seven grandchildren: Pam Pearson and husband Steve of Kansas City, MO, Bruce File of Beloit, KS, Dustin Schlaefli and wife Kristy of Hays, KS, Travis Krone and wife Elizabeth of Beloit, KS, Jamie Jermark and husband Geoff of Beloit, KS, Jacob Krone and wife Molly of Beloit, KS and Mackenzie Davison of Portland, OR; Nine great-grandchildren: Mattison Schlaefli, Keaton Schlaefli, Cooper Jermark, Chance Jermark, Carter Jermark, Electra Krone, Ivanka Krone, Zelma Krone and Daylynn Krone; and five step great-grandchildren: Elisabeth Pearson, Matthew Pearson, Matthew Jermark, Xandra Bouray and Xavier Bouray.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM Saturday, January 10 at the McDonald Funeral Home followed by burial in Elmwood Cemetery next to Cecil. Visitation will be from 9 AM to 8 PM with family receiving friends from 6:30-7:30 PM Friday, January 9 at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to Solomon Valley Hospice or Mitchell County Regional Medical Foundation.