Westport
Dorothy Irene Black Colsher, 93, of Westport, went home to be with Jesus on Sunday, December 6, 2015. She had been in failing health for the past six months and was a resident of Aspen Health Campus. Dorothy was the daughter of Ernie and Lula Inez (Owens) Black and was born in Letts, Indiana, on August 9, 1922. She married Hugh A. Colsher on June 8, 1946, at Letts, Indiana, and he preceded her in death on July 25, 1980.
Dorothy is survived by daughters, Janet (John) Teitsort, Judy (Darol) Herbert, both of Westport; and stepdaughters, Martha Rutan of Clinton and Nettie McCullough of Columbus; grandchildren, Debbie (Gary) Richardson of Greensburg, Dan (Karen) Teitsort of Fishers, Melissa (Homer) Ellard of Westport, Leann Brown of Vevay and Joe (Sarah) Herbert of New Albany; stepgrandchildren, Royce D. (Deanna) McCullough of Westport, Susan (Marc) Meyerrose of Greensburg, Chester (Freida) Rutan of Clinton, Linda Spence of Indianapolis, Steven (Vicki) Rutan Fort Wayne, Charles (Cherri) Rutan of Clinton; twenty-five great-grandchildren fifteen great-great-grandchildren; siblings, Rosezetta Schlechtweg of Fountaintown, Allen (Kim) Black of Cocoa Beach, Florida, Margaret (Bill) Schlechtweg of Heber Springs, Arkansas, Ethel Dougherty and Marilyn Oldham, both of Westport; sister-in-law, Micki Black of Spartanburg, South Carolina; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, one sister, Ruth Pauline Black, in infancy, and two brothers, Robert Lee Black in infancy and Norman Dale Black.
Dorothy was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother and sister. She loved her family deeply. Growing up in the Letts, Westport and Burney area, she graduated from Burney High School in 1941. Her first job was during World War II at American Central in Connersville, Indiana. There she made flaps for airplane wings for B-24 Bombers. She drilled holes for rivets, then drove the rivets in with a rivet gun, or used a bucking bar on the back of the rivets. After her children were raised, she and her husband moved to Greensburg. She worked at Decatur County Memorial Hospital as a cook in the dietary department for numerous years and retired from there. Dorothy enjoyed serving her Lord, crafts, reading, sewing, history, current events, and journaling. She wrote a memoir of her early years in 1999.
Although she grew up in the Methodist Church, after her marriage she joined Mt. Aerie Baptist Church with her husband and there her membership remains. After retiring from the hospital she moved back to Westport and started attending Westport First Baptist with her daughters. She enjoyed worshipping and fellowshipping with the church family there.
Dorothy will be sadly missed, but remembered fondly, by all who knew her.
The funeral service will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 10, 2015, at Bass & Gasper Funeral Home in Westport with the Rev. David A. Scaggs officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Aerie Cemetery in Letts.
A time of visitation will be held from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Donations may be made through the funeral home to Mt. Aerie Cemetery, Westport First Baptist Church or Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.
