Dorothy Prater Weimortz

Dorothy Mae Prater Weimortz died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 93 on March 1, 2020. She was born on September 13, 1926, in Anderson, South Carolina. She attended schools in Townville and Anderson South Carolina. As a child, Dorothy remembered growing up with her siblings on the family cotton farm and hoeing and picking cotton by hand. In 1947, she graduated with a BA in Elementary Education from Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina and taught second grade for two years in Laurens, South Carolina. Dorothy fell in love with Edward Weimortz while he was still attending Clemson University and they were married on June 22, 1949, in her family home in Townville, South Carolina. Ed and Dorothy moved to Lakeland, Florida where their first two daughters were born. They later moved to St. Petersburg where surprise twins were born: a son and a daughter. When Ed was promoted with Ferry Morse Seed Company, the family moved to Ferndale, Michigan. Dorothy always liked telling the story of the way she met her Yankee neighbors: a southern belle strolling her four children down the middle of the street in the snow. After five years, the family moved to warmer California (where it snowed the first year they were there!) Ed and Dorothy lived in Saratoga, CA, for 20 years before moving to Woodland. There they built a country home where the children and grandchildren loved visiting, helping in the garden, riding go carts, raising 4H animals and just hanging out with Mama D and Grampa. In the twenty plus years that Dorothy was in Woodland, she made many friends through her hobbies of traveling, quilting, flower arranging, gardening, oil painting, cooking, canning, and sewing. Dorothy stayed home to raise her four children but eventually enjoyed being able to travel all over the world with Ed after the children were grown. She was a tremendous support to Ed in his career in international seed sales, hosting customers and friends from all over the world in their home. She knew how to make each one feel like part of the family. Dorothy moved to Visalia, CA, in 2004 after the death of her husband and again made many friends with her southern charm. She was known by all, young and old, as "Mama D". Her final four and a half years were spent at Quail Park Retirement Home, where she participated in many activities and enjoyed being a tease and a "flirt" to her many friends there. The family greatly appreciates the loving care of all the staff at Quail Park. Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Edward D. Weimortz, her son, Edward A. Weimortz, her son-in-law, Jonathan Rainbow, her parents, William and Louise Prater and her three brothers and one sister. She is survived by her children, Rebecca (Ken) Gilson of Gray GA, Patricia Rainbow of Visalia, CA, Deborah Blunt of Vancouver WA, and daughter-in-law, Kathleen Weimortz of Vacaville, CA. Dorothy is also survived by nine grandchildren, Hannah (John) Ploegstra of Visalia, Jesse (Andrea) Rainbow of Houston, TX, David (Brady) Rainbow of Houston, Dustin Daniels of Alsea, OR, Dana (Tracy) Driggers of Gray, GA, Nicholas Weimortz of Lodi CA, Jamie (A.J.) Brown of Macon, GA, Brittany (Gary) Palma of Vacaville, CA, and Zachary (Megan) Weimortz of Billings, MT. She also leaves behind 15 great grandchildren, Esther, Jack, Marybelle, Mason, Susanna, Hazel, Gretchen, McKenzie, Jonathan, Dorothy, Carter, Iris, James, Tucker and Blayke. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to Kaweah Delta Hospice (donate.kaweahdelta.org) or the American Cancer Society (cancer.org) Service: March 10, 3:00 p.m., Salser and Dillard Funeral Chapel, Visalia California (visitation 2 pm.) Webcasting of service at www.salseranddillard.com (live or delayed viewing) Burial: March 11, 2020, 2:00 p.m., Monument Hill Memorial Park, Woodland, California

Dorothy Prater Weimortz

September 13, 1926 - March 1, 2020