Dorothy V. (Stephenson) Jones passed away in Rio, Wisconsin, on February 4, 2022.  Dorothy was born on February 8, 1933, to Theodore E. and Vera M. (Quinney) Stephenson in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Her family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and she graduated from Madison East High School in 1951.  She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she was the first Native American (Brothertown) president of her sorority, Sigma Kappa. Dorothy received a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Education in 1955.

Dorothy traveled to Oshkosh, Wisconsin after graduation to become the first Women’s Director of the recently established Y.M.C.A. She met her future husband there while teaching his youngest brother how to play ping-pong. On September 14, 1957, Dorothy married Robin E. Jones at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison.

Dorothy supported and worked beside her husband in their many ventures. She sold insurance through the Christensen Agency they owned for many years, as well as managed student rental properties.  Dorothy also led Camp Fire Girl and Boy Scout groups while her children were school age.  Dorothy loved attending auctions. She furnished her home and the rental properties with many of her beautiful finds. When Robin retired as a real estate broker, Dorothy joined Pommerening Dodge as a bookkeeper and office manager. After she retired, Dorothy stayed busy earning her Master Gardeners certificate, reading mysteries, attending quilting classes, and caring for her husband.

Dorothy loved the outdoors. She maintained vegetable and flower gardens wherever they lived and was skilled at preserving and cooking their bounty. Dorothy sewed much of her wardrobe and also was a skilled knitter.  She enjoyed fishing and hunting, participating in decades of consecutive Wisconsin deer seasons.  Robin and Dorothy moved to their 168-acre farm in 1975, eventually planting with the help of family and friends more than 95,000 trees as a haven for wildlife on their farm. 

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Angie L. (Daniel) Simon of Poynette; her son, Eric O. (Sandra) Jones of Larsen; and two grandsons, Micah Q. (Marissa Gamble) Jones of Essex, MA, and Hunter B. Jones of Pooler, GA.  She is also survived by sisters-in-law, Lynnette Jones and Sally Merten of Oshkosh, Belle Stephenson of Madison, and Nancy (Luther) Rowland of Savannah, GA; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Vera; brothers, Wayne and Theodore Stephenson; and sister, Nancy (Stephenson) Goold.

A visitation will be held between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Mueller Funeral Home, 904 E. Main Street, Winneconne, Wisconsin, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m.   Burial will follow the service at Oak Grove Cemetery on Grandview Road, Larsen, Wisconsin.  Family and friends are invited to gather afterward at the farm for a celebration of life.

Dorothy’s family gives deep thanks to all the staff of At Home Again-Rio and Generations Hospice for their thoughtful and loving care of Dorothy.

If you wish please submit online condolences to muellerfh.net.