Dorothy M. (Manion) Kunzman died quietly in her sleep at Box Butte General Hospital Monday morning, January 23, 2017. She was born, the ninth of 10 children, to William Coleman and Martha (Mae Peters) Manion on November 27, 1933 in rural Box Butte County, in her parent’s sod home.
She attended rural schools in Box Butte County and graduated from St. Agnes Academy in 1950. She also received a teaching certificate from Kearney State Teacher’s College and taught rural schools for a short time. She was an accomplished crossword puzzle afficiando. She always completed the newspapers’ crossword puzzle in ink.
Dorothy was perhaps best known around town and in her family for her role as a “grammar nazi.” She was adept at finding spelling, grammar and punctuation errors in the newspapers, the books she devoured daily and even her children’s speech. Fortunately, she found her calling as an editor for many years at the Alliance Times-Herald in Alliance, Nebr., where she was paid to do what she did best – lovingly perfecting the written word for the enjoyment and edification of others.
Dorothy served faithfully at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance, as a eucharistic minister, religious education instructor, altar society and prayer chain leader. She was also a dedicated volunteer at Alliance’s St. Agnes Academy, serving in nearly every role offered there from room mother to first woman president of the St. Agnes school board. She was also a Franciscan Associate, sharing service, prayer and special bonds with the local Sisters of Saint Frances.
However, Dorothy’s greatest accomplishment in life was her family. She married Leonard A. Kunzman on June 23, 1952 at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in Hemingford, Nebr. Their eight children include Julie Kunzman and Maureen (J.J.) Smith of Alliance, Mary (Ed) Wernke and Tricia (Martin) Schumacher of Hemingford, Dan (Pam) Kunzman of Beatrice, Nebr., Joe (Bobbie) Kunzman of Sioux Falls, So. Dak., Jean and Joan Kunzman of Lincoln, Nebr.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Leonard, sisters Sr. M. Coronata Manion, Wilma Eickhoff, Eleanor Manion and Donna Goldstedt and brothers, Joe, Tom, Laurence and William Coleman (Willy) Manion. One brother, Maurice Manion of Cushing, Okla. survives.
In addition to her children, Dorothy is mourned by 11 grandchildren: Katelyn Kunzman of London, England and Hannah Kunzman of Omaha, Nebr.; Megan (Hashim Mooppan) Wernke of Arlington, Va., Melinda and Marlee Wernke of Aurora, Colo.; Justin Schumacher, currently stationed at a U.S. Embassy in Africa, Jeff (Tasha) Schumacher of Hemingford, Joelle (Sean) Wacker of Shelby, Nebr. and Jaimee (Titus) Cline of Frederick, Md., Jarad Kunzman of Sioux Falls, So. Dak. and Jory Kunzman of Madison, So. Dak.; and 13 great-grandchildren: Rachel, Rebecca, Jacob, Elliot and Theodore Wacker; Brenna, Raegan and Wyatt Schumacher; Adele and Elva Cline; Braelyn Norman, Laila and Amir Mooppan; numerous neices, nephews, cousins and close friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance, Nebr., Friday, January 27, with a wake service Thursday at the church at 7p.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home and continue at the wake service.
Memorials, in lieu of flowers, are requested to the St. Agnes Academy Foundation, 1104 Cheyenne, Alliance, NE 69301, or the Sisters of St. Francis, 1104 Toluca Avenue, Alliance, NE 69301.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.