Dorothy J. (Mrs. Arthur) Voge, age 96, of Faribault, died on Saturday, August 16, 2008 at District One Hospital, Faribault.

Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Meadow Ridge Memorial Park in Faribault.

Arrangements were completed by the Boldt Funeral Home in Faribault.

Dorothy Jane, (Mrs. Arthur) Voge, was born February 28, 1912 in Medford to John E. and Edith (Hoover) Ring. She attended public schools in Faribault and following graduation worked for four years for Swift and Company Produce as bookkeeper.

On June 21, 1933, she was united in marriage to Arthur L. Voge of Wells Township. They farmed there for 13 years before moving to Faribault in 1945. Dorothy was secretary to the Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church for 16 years prior to becoming secretary to the superintendent of schools for 10 years.

She was active in community organizations, received the JC Scroll Award in 1962 and was honored as Rice County Outstanding Senior Citizen in 1987. She was a member of the Rice County District One Hospital Auxiliary for many years, volunteering at the information desk and delivering mail to patients. She was a member of Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church for over 75 years, serving as circle chairman of the United Methodist Women, president of Ocneedus Fellowship, Sunday School teacher for 15 years, and on various committees. She was also a member of the Faribault Area Retired Educators.

She is survived by three children, Leonard Charles "Chuck" (and Peggy) Voge of Marysville, Wash., Tom (and Skip) Voge of Nerstrand and Janet (and David) DeMoss of Douglas City, Calif.; six grandchildren; five great-grandsons; four step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are four sisters, Helen (Mrs. Arthur) Sellner, and Margaret (Mrs. Chester) Puffer both of Faribault, Hazel (and Walter) Voss of St. Charles and Jean (Mrs. Willis) Puffer of Spencer, Iowa; three brothers, John W. (and Loretta) Ring of St. Paul, James (and Maren) Ring of Albert Lea, and Avison "Buck" (and Marge) Ring of Faribault; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Art; two sisters, Marian Gangloff and Florence Lawson, one brother, O.H. "Bud" Ring, one sister-in-law and five brothers-in-law.



From the Faribault Daily News Sept. 20, 2008:

Dorothy Voge's favorite pastime in her older years was to share with school children what life was like for her generation.

Voge, 96, a resident of St. Lucas Care Center, died Aug. 16 at District One Hospital. She was preceded in death by her husband, Art Voge, who died June 11, 2005, at the age of 99 at Heritage House. The couple had been married close to 72 years when he died.

In 2003, Art and Dorothy Voge participated in an eight-week exchange at Jefferson Elementary School between students and volunteer seniors from the Faribault Senior Center.

During one of their sessions with youngsters, they told how both of them had grown up on farms without electricity, indoor plumbing and water that had to be hauled in to the kitchen in pails from an outside pump. One of the students quickly asked them how they could run a TV and computers without electricity.

They broke the news to youngsters that, once upon a time in America, there were no TVs and computers.

"We really didn't know much about the world outside the rural area we lived in when we were kids," she said in an interview back in 2003. "We had a telephone, the old-fashioned kind that hung on the wall. You had to turn the crank and make it ring for the operator."

The couple enjoyed learning about the lives of kids today and sharing their childhood experiences. In fact, after Art's death, Dorothy renewed her friendship with the fourth-graders she became friends with during the exchange sessions. The students were in middle school at the time, but most came monthly to spend time with Dorothy at Heritage House.

When her health failed and she found herself living at St. Lucas Care Center, Dorothy's zest for life continued. She got around in a wheelchair. Those who came to visit her would not find her in her room but out and about the nursing home participating in any activity offered. She also had her typewriter and wrote monthly letters to family members and a Christmas greeting letter.

In her younger years, Dorothy was very active in community organizations. She received the local Jaycees Scroll Award in 1962 and was honored in 1987 as the Rice County Outstanding Senior Citizen. She volunteered for many years at the information desk at District One Hospital as a member of the hospital auxiliary. She belonged to Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church for 75 years and was active in various committees and taught Sunday school for 15 years.

Back in the summer of 2002, the couple held a big party inviting family and friends to celebrate their life. Art was celebrating his 96th birthday. Dorothy was turning 90 soon, and the couple had been married 69 years.

She said at that time, "We wanted people to come to see us at this party rather than come to our funeral. We're some of the luckiest people around. Both of us have lived longer than the average life expectancy for our generation."

Voge is survived by three children: Leonard Charles "Chuck" (and Peggy) Voge of Maryville, Wash.; Tom (and Skip) Voge of Nerstrand; and Janet (and Davd) DeMoss of Douglas City, Calif.; six grandchildren; five great-grandsons; four step-grandchldren; six step-great grandchilden.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the donor's choice.