Dorothy Page Marshall died Nov. 20, 2003, at University Hospital in Denver. She was 79.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, at the Carbondale Community United Methodist Church with the Rev. Frederick W. Amborn III officiating.

She was born April 5, 1924, in Sandwich, Ill., to George and Helen Lewis Page.

She was raised in and graduated from high school in Yorkville, Ill. She graduated from Copley Hospital Nursing School in 1945. Upon earning her nursing degree, she had hoped to be sent overseas to help with the war effort. However, the war ended, and in 1946 she traveled to Colorado. She stayed in Glenwood Springs, working for the hospital located at the hot springs.

While there, she met Mike Marshall, and they were married on Nov. 8, 1946. They made their home in Placida. They had five children.

In 1951, the Marshalls moved to Illinois. In 1953, they returned to their home in Placida. In June 1956, they moved to Carbondale, where Dorothy would spend the rest of her life.

Mrs. Marshall worked for Valley View Hospital for 15 years. She then worked for Dr. Waski and Dr. Herrington for six years. After a short time off, she returned to nursing as a public health nurse. She started a toenail clinic and enjoyed working with the elderly, extending them friendship, care and human contact.

She was a founder and director of Carbondale Senior Housing. She was a fire fighter and was the fire chief for a number of years. She was also a member of the Carbondale ambulance crew.

Mrs. Marshall was very civic minded and was actively involved in community life and affairs. She was a member of Eastern Star, the OWELS, and she enjoyed her pinochle and sewing clubs. She was a long-time active member of the Carbondale Community United Methodist Church participating in the Wesleyan Guild, the choir and numerous committees and Bible studies.

She loved gardening and yard work and was especially known as the “orchid lady” at Heritage Park Care Center. Her recent project was raising squash for LIFT-UP, and she was in the process of cutting up the many squash that she had raised. She loved games such as Scrabble and Boggle and was a crossword puzzle fanatic. She loved to learn and was reading and studying up until her recent surgery. She had a zest for life, but her greatest love was her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend.

She is preceded in death by her parents; by her husband, Mike; by brothers Robert and Gordon; and by a sister, Ruth.

Mrs. Marshall is survived by daughters and sons-in-law Martha and Jack Crowe of Pawhuska, Okla., Betsy and Michael Brownlee of Booneville, Ark., and Julia Marshall of Carbondale; by sons and daughters-in-law David and Dixie Marshall and Tom and Kathy Marshall, all of Carbondale; by nine grandchildren; by eleven great-grandchildren; by sister and brother-in-law Peggy and Art Keller of Spokane, Wash.; by many nieces and nephews; and by a host of friends.

Memorial contributions can be made to Carbondale Senior Housing.