Dorothy Jean (Redding) Demaree

Dorothy Jean Redding Demaree, 88, passed away in Lovell, Wyoming on Christmas Day, December 25, 2020 of natural causes. Dorothy was born in Hardin, Montana August 29, 1932 to Coil Austin Redding and Florence Irene Hoffman of Sarpy, Montana. She was the 6th of 12 children.

She attended Wolf School during her grade school years in Sarpy and then Hardin High School. She lived briefly in Denver, Colorado with her sisters after high school and then returned to the Montana she loved and always called home. She worked in Billings at Security Bank as a telephone switchboard operator.

On Aug 31, 1964, she married Norris Demaree of Billings, MT for 48 years and raised 3 children on a small ranch in Shepherd, Montana. Following retirement, they moved into Billings where they remained until Norris died in 2012. Dorothy continued to live alone and was busy with church activities at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and working in the Billings Temple.  Dorothy was known for her healthy and active life. She even worked part-time at a local nursing home until age 80 when she finally retired. Prior to her death she had moved closer to her daughter Dawn in Cowley, WY.

Dorothy loved country music. She wrote songs and played the piano, guitar and violin by ear. Those from her early years remember she played for dances at the old schoolhouse.  Dorothy loved cattle and horses. In 1951 she was the Hardin Rodeo Queen commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Custer Battlefield. Dorothy was well known for gardening, canning, baking, sewing, quilting, oil painting and family history work.  Dorothy had the greatest love for her parents, many siblings, nieces and nephews and especially her children, grand-children and great-grandchildren. But, mostly, she will always be known for her great love of her Savior Jesus Christ and her Heavenly Father.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Norris Demaree; sons NJ and Jimmy, her parents Coil and Irene Redding; brothers June, Rich (Charlotte), and Donnie (Billie) Redding, and sisters Florence (Charles) Kovis, Shirley Redding, Joan (Ed) Louk , and Judy (Ronnie) Reed.  Survivors include daughter Dawn (Buck) Hardwick of Cowley, Wyoming, sister Patricia (Jerold) Evanson of Sandy, UT, brother Tommy (Ginger) Redding of Fort Shaw, MT, Jerry (Sandy) of West Jordan, UT and Leonard (Nancy) of Butler, MO. Dorothy has 10 grandchildren, Bryce (Megan), Seth (Sarah), Cody, Shea, and Zane Hardwick, Hayley and Garth Demaree, Mackenzie Teichroew, Lane Demaree, and Garrin, and 3 great-grandchildren, Monty, Mackly Hardwick, and Michael Littlebear.

Funeral services at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Cowley, WY  Dec 30th at 11:00 am, viewing at 9:30 am and burial at Mountview Cemetery 2:30 pm  in Billings, MT.

Services can be viewed through Zoom - login information will be added as soon as we get it.

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