Dorothy Alden

Dorothy M. Alden, 89, of Cheyenne passed away at Davis Hospice Center on Oct.19, 2018. Born Sept. 14, 1929, in Sheridan, Wyo., to James Simon and Lois Johnston Hamilton, Dorothy grew up on the family ranch at Decker, Mont. She attended the Spring Creek country school and graduated from Sheridan High School in 1947. Dorothy attended the Montana State College School of Nursing in Bozeman and trained at Deaconess Hospital in Billings. She became a registered nurse in 1951, and worked at the Sheridan VA hospital 1951-53, and at Deaconess Hospital in Bozeman 1954-56.
On May 21, 1951, Dorothy married Francis H. “Bud” Alden. They had three daughters, Kathy, Vickie and Mary Kay. For many years Dorothy was a dedicated mother, wife and homemaker, supporting her daughters in activities including 4-H, band and choir, baton twirling, sports and, of course, academics. Dorothy instilled many important qualities in her daughters, including independence, commitment to family, a sense of duty, and the importance of education. As a child of the depression and World War II, Dorothy taught her daughters by example the importance of saving and thriftiness, and to be proud Americans.
In 1970 Dorothy re-entered the work force, working as a nurse at the Cheyenne VA hospital. In 1971, when the family relocated to Guernsey, Wyo., for Bud’s job, Dorothy started her a career as a school nurse. While living in Guernsey, the family had a dock on Lake Guernsey and enjoying boating and water skiing. Eventually Dorothy and Bud owned a cabin on the hillside above their dock, and for many years welcomed family and friends to visit and enjoy each other’s company and everything Lake Guernsey had to offer.
Dorothy retired in 1986, and after that she and Bud traveled all across the United States, first with a motor home, and later with a fifth-wheel trailer. They connected with friends across the country, took in many sights, and made sure that each grandchild had his or her own special trip with Grandma and Grandpa to see part of America. They eventually joined a winter community in Pahrump, Nev., and made many good friends there. Even after Bud’s unexpected passing in 2004, Dorothy continued to winter with friends in Pahrump for several years.
In recent years Dorothy moved to Cheyenne to be closer to family and made numerous friends. Dorothy had a strong faith and was active in the United Presbyterian Church in Guernsey, and in later years was a member of First United Methodist Church in Cheyenne.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bud, son-in-law Mike Wright, and sister Margie Shanley and her husband Bill. Dorothy is survived by her daughters Kathy Wright, Vickie Bonham (Bill), and Mary Kay Bohnenblust (Kevin), all of Cheyenne, as well as her brother, Jim Hamilton (Margie) of Decker, Mont. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Justin Wright (Jennifer), Houston; Hunter Wright, Cheyenne; Blayne Wright, Alexandria, Virginia; Dylan Bessler, Denver; Caitlin (Bohnenblust) Campbell (Grant), Laramie; and Kelly Bohnenblust, Ft. Collins, Colo. She was the proud great grandmother of Christopher and Solé Wright, Houston, and Samson Wright, Richmond, VA. Dorothy also had numerous nieces and nephews for whom she cared deeply.
Services for Dorothy will be on Oct. 24, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 108 East 18th St., Cheyenne. Interment will take place that afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at Prairie Rest Cemetery in Guernsey.
Memorials in Dorothy’s honor may be made by contributing to the scholarship fund of the American Legion Auxiliary at: ALA Dept. of Wyoming, Dorothy Alden Memorial, P.O. Box 186, Buffalo, Wyoming 82834.