Doris Eleanor “DE” Ramsey, beloved mother, partner, and friend, died peacefully in hospice on Monday, December 20, 2021, in Mesa, Arizona. She was eighty years old.
DE was born on May 30, 1941, in Logan, Iowa as the youngest of ten children to Charles Hodges and Lulu Williams. She grew up in a small farmhouse, surrounded by siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews. As a younger woman, DE married Tom Spencer and raised two children, John and Elizabeth, in Woodbine, IA. In these years she refined the expert cooking, baking (those legendary cinnamon rolls!), canning, sewing, and creative homemaking skills that we all came to enjoy over the years.
DE later moved to California, where she had a long career in the automobile service industry. She launched a second career in nursing, and at age 52, she graduated as valedictorian of her class, giving a speech to her classmates and inspiring everyone who knew her. DE continued to be active in nursing well into her seventies, giving immunizations in her community.
A lover of the desert, DE spent her later years in Mesa, Arizona where she was a well-loved and admired member of her community. She played tennis and golf for many years, and when changes in her health prevented that she focused on her sewing. In was in Mesa that she met her long-time and beloved partner, Ron Johnson, a native of Canada. Together, they build a life of adventure, community, and family.
DE was preceded in death by her parents and many siblings, as well as many friends. She is mourned by her partner Ron, her children John (daughter-in-law Karen) and Elizabeth (son-in-law Ken), five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a plethora of nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also greatly missed by her Canadian family and many friends and neighbors in Mesa.
DE lived and died filled with God’s grace and surrounded with the love of many people, both near and far. She will be remembered for her generosity, compassion, and humor. A memorial service is planned for her birthday in Woodbine, IA in Spring 2022.