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The Life of DOLORES ELAINE VAN OORT

Dolores Van Oort, 89, died peacefully on Friday August 4, 2017 at The Bridges of Ankeny. She was born in Sibley, IA on April 8, 1928 to Joseph and Sophia (Apel) Manlove. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1946 and from St. Joseph Mercy School of Nursing in 1949. She married Dwayne Van Oort on September 4, 1949. She worked as the night nurse supervisor at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Mason City and she was also a private duty nurse, which she continued after moving to Ankeny in 1967.

Dolores was an avid Chicago and Iowa Cubs fan, and regarded as the “Queen” of Principal Park, enjoying season tickets there for 43 years. She was voted I-Cubs Fan of the Year in 2006, and at age 80 she threw out the first pitch to open the 2008 season.

Dolores was known and loved throughout the community. She was a member of Vine Street Gospel Chapel, past president of the Ankeny Welcome Wagon, member of the Friendship Circle, the ILH Auxiliary, and Ankeny Federated Women’s Club, serving as its president to age 80. Dolores’s social skills served her well as Ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce, and in reaching top sales for Tupperware in Central Iowa. She dearly loved attending her grandchildren’s activities, various church gatherings and community events. Faith, family and friends were dear to her heart.

Dolores is survived by her children, Steve, Terry (Cheryl) and Sherry (Steve) Gill; sister, Ava Amorin; grandchildren, Amee (Daniel) Austin, Stephanie (Bryan) Gruhlke, Sarah (Dwight) Brown, John Van Oort, Thomas Kauzlarich, Johnathan (Ashley) Kauzlarich, David Kauzlarich, Joshua (Brooke) Van Oort, Jeremy (Michelle) Van Oort, Jacob Van Oort and Anna (Cale) Kastner; great-grandchildren, Roslyn, Oliver, William, Mackenzie, Adrian, Miles, Isaac, Jackson, Savannah, Cameron, Dru, Ty, Grace, Brayden, Kennedy, Chase, Sarah, Cody and Leah along with a host of beloved family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dwayne; son, Timothy; daughter-in-law, Darlene Van Oort; and sisters, Cyrilla Rogers and Linda Johnson.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 14, 2017 at Our Lady of Immaculate Heart Catholic Church, 510 East 1st Street, Ankeny, Iowa. Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 13, 2017 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave, Des Moines, Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Iowa Lutheran Hospital Auxiliary Education Endowment Fund, 700 E. University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50316 or Suncrest Hospice, 5000 Westown Pkwy #104, West Des Moines, IA 50266

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