Dorothy Marie Mee Tatum Crabtree

Dorothy Marie mee Tatum Crabtree

Dorothy Marie Crabtree was the seventh of eight children born to
George Athel Tatum and Elizabeth Catherine Schick on June 3rd 1926 in
Madrid, NE and graced the earth with her presence and love until her death
on January 1, 2009 in Denver, CO.



Dorothy met and married Ivan Cecil Crabtree on August 14, 1942 in Imperial,
Nebraska. To this union four children were born: Cecil Ivan Crabtree -born
May 29, 1943, Carolyn Ann Young - born October 16, 1946, Donna Kaye Kopcha -
born September 11, 1952, Gary Lee Crabtree - born November 10, 1956. She
worked as a "Flipper Runner" for Gates Rubber Company and retired in 1987
after 23 years. Following her retirement from Gates she started her own
ceramic business in the basement of her home where she not only made and
sold ceramics but she also held classes and taught others the fine art of
ceramics. Unfortunately due to health reasons caused from mixing, firing and
cleaning the ceramics, she had to close the business after ten years.
Besides ceramics there were so many other craft's that she loved to do, she
made decorative cakes for birthday's, parties, and wedding's, she crocheted,
made flower arrangements just to name a few. One of her favorite hobbies was
to cook, she loved buying new cook books, reading the recipes, trying them
out and loaning her cook books to family and friends. She loved
entertaining and hosting parties to play cards and Bunco with friends and
family. Just this last Christmas she was hostess for her Bunco Club and
eight of her lady friends. On the weekends her two daughters Carolyn and
Donna would come over and they would have a "Girls Day Out" where they would
spend the day together doing their weekly shopping, grabbing a bite to eat
and then finish the day playing cards.



Dorothy was baptized at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Holyoke, CO. during
her childhood where she lived and attended school. After her husband's death
Dorothy became a member of St. Anthony Padua Catholic Church, where she was
a Eucharistic Minister along with her friend Don and his wife. Every Sunday
they would go to Arkansas Manor Nursing Home to give the Catholic residents
Holy Communion, sang hymns and read the readings of the day.



Dorothy was a long time members of the Garden Home Grange with her husband
Ivan where she help plan and organize meetings, plays and traveling across
the countryside, no matter what she planned or participated in, she brought
joy and happiness to everyone.



Over the past year due to a lot of medical problems she was
limited to the things that she could do and on January 1st 2009 her daughter
Carolyn and granddaughter Peaches discovered her in her home where she was
found in the arms of our Lord.



She was preceded in death by her husband Ivan Crabtree and son Cecil
Crabtree, her two grandsons Deke and Frank Jr. Young, her mother and father
Elizabeth and George Tatum, her sister Louise and husband Jake Bigner, her
sister Mildred Tatum, her brother Leo and wife Carrie Tatum, Ernest Tatum,
Hermand and wife Dora Tatum, Chester and wife Pearl Tatum and her brother in
law Vince Beard.



She is survived by daughters Carolyn Young and Donna Kopcha, her son Gary
Crabtree, 11 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and 6 great great
grandchildren, her brother in law Corky Crabtree, her sister Ilene Beard and
her sister in law Opal Tatum. Numerous nieces and nephews and many many
friends. She will be surly missed by all who loved her. She is now safe in
the arms of our Lord.


Family will receive friends at the Bullock Colonial Chapel for a viewing and visitation on Wednesday, January 7th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Anthony Padua Catholic Church (3801
W. Ohio Avenue, Denver, CO) Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. with
father Dan Norick as celebrant. Interment will be at Crown Hill Cemetery
(7777 W. 29th Ave. Denver, CO) where she will be placed with her beloved
husband Ivan. Reception at Garden Home Grange (1120 S. Irving St, Denver,
CO) following the interment.