Doris Hildreth

DORIS HILDRETH

Iowa City

Doris Lee Carolyn German Hildreth, wife, mother, teacher and good friend, passed away July 16, 2014, in her home at Melrose Meadows Assisted Living.

She was born in Jacksonville, Ill., on Jan. 2, 1928, to Fred and Lulu German, and married on Nov. 11, 1949, to William Hildreth.

Surviving are her husband, Bill; daughters, Jan (Gary) Vanderflugt of Eldridge and Suzanne (Dimitry) of Waltham, Mass.; grandchildren, Lauren (Daniel) Felts, Mark (Momoka) Vanderflugt and Amelia Zarkh; great-grandchildren, Noah and Jonah Felts and Maya Vanderflugt; sister-in-law, Marilyn German; and great-niece, Felicia German.

She was preceded in death by her younger brother, Ronald German; and nephew, Roger German.

Doris graduated from MacMurray College in 1949 and was a teacher in the Burlington, Iowa, schools. Her love of photography led her to obtain her M.A. degree in education, specializing in instructional design and technology at the University of Iowa in 1986.

Her many interests included fine art and photography, hiking, big band music, all animals and travel. She served as board member and president of the Des Moines County Humane Society and was devoted to helping abused dogs and cats, often adopting those that most needed a home.

In her final few years, she lived at Melrose Meadows Retirement Community in Iowa City, where she made many caring friends. She appreciated the kind staff at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where she received exceptional care over many years. As one of her physicians once wrote of her, "She is always the teacher, leading by example and creating living art with dignity and grace."

Memorials may be made to your local humane society, Essence of Life Hospice in Amana or to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Online condolences may be directed to www.lensing funeral.com.

(Date of death was updated by Lensing Funeral Service on  July 19, 2014)