Dorothy Fernhosley Koontz

Dorothy Fern Hodgson Hosley Koontz passed away December 12, 2014, in Littleton, Colorado. She was 100 years old. Often known as "Fern" she was the youngest of seven children and the only girl.

Fern was born on a farm in eastern Kansas. Her parents were Stephen and Cora Dell Hodgson. She attended Pittsburg College in Pittsburg, Kansas, where she met and married James L. Hosley. They moved to Salina, Kansas, where James taught at Salina High School and where their daughters Saundra Beth and Karen Lea were born.

Fern was active in the Salina First Methodist Church and several organizations. She was also very involved in her children's school activities. Fern worked as a nursery school teacher and, for a time, ran her own nursery school. After the death of her husband, Jim, in 1961, Fern served for three years as a sorority house mother at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

Later, she married Arthur Allen of Topeka, Kansas, where they lived for 25 years. In 1992 Fern moved to Littleton, Colorado, to be near family. In 2001, she married her former high school sweetheart, Don Koontz. She was 87 and he was 90. They spent more than ten happy, active years together, traveling the western U.S., playing cards with friends, and enjoying family activities. Fern and Don lived in Southglenn Commons in Centennial, Colorado. While there, Fern helped organize holiday parties and celebrations for the residents. Fern and Don were members of Grace Presbyterian Church in Littleton and participated in many church activities. Don Koontz passed away in January of 2012, at age 100.

Fern's hobbies included sewing, cooking, playing cards, oil painting, flower arranging, and home decoration. For many years she worked at polling places for local, state and national elections. She also was a caretaker for infants of high school students attending Littleton schools. She embroidered or pieced beautiful and intricate quilts for family members. Her family compiled a cookbook containing many of her most beloved recipes. Among them were apple crisp, German chocolate cake, angel food cake, Christmas cutter cookies, vegetable beef stew, rhubarb pie and caramel nut cinnamon rolls.

Fern is survived by her daughters Saundra Sheffer of San Dimas, California, and Karen Barrett of Littleton, Colorado; grandchildren Kendra Park, Tedd Sheffer, Marliese Tollner, Kelli Imada and Holly McNicholas; great-grandchildren Jordan Leicht, Dustin Leicht, Gayle Healy, Anna Imada, Lauren and Harper McNicholas; and great-great-granddaughter Julia Leicht.

Services are planned for late spring 2015 in Salina, KS. Please check back for updated information. To leave a special message or to send a condolence, to click the "Share Memories"