Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Olive was born in New York, New York. As a child during the great depression, she moved often with her family looking for work. During these years, the family worked on farms and she sold produce, eggs and chickens door to door and on street corners.
Her father taught her how to sew, which developed into a passion for experimenting and creating anything in fabric. She always wanted to go to college for clothing design, but it was not to be. However, she created and sewed three wedding dresses, home décor for three homes, costumes, quilts, coats, clothing, etc. with a professional quality throughout her life. During the past four years, when she could no longer sew, her fingers were still busy working as if sewing.
In 1937, as she put it: “When I was 14 years old, a dear Scottish neighbor took me and my brother Bobby to church and it was there I learned about a loving Father and accepted Jesus into my heart.”
In the 1940’s, she rode the subway to teach English and Sunday school in New York’s China town.
On December 7, 1944, while working as a switchboard operator in New York, she recalled, “it was a very quiet night, suddenly all bedlam broke out. All the lights on the switchboard lit up spreading the word that America has been bombed at Pearl Harbor and that many people were killed. We were in shock and disbelief. We were asked to work a double shift for our country and of course, we did. It was a horribly frightening time after enduring the Great Depression.”
In 1948, Olive married Thomas Andrew Dysart on St. Patrick’s Day after meeting him at a progressive dinner. He asked if he could escort her home, but she first asked her friends “if he was a nice man.” They had a daughter, Elise. They were active in the school district Board of Education establishment and scholarship fundraisers, Sunday school teaching and organized several Valentines banquets for 200 couples. Olive’s work included: bank teller, bookkeeper and school district pay roll clerk. Upon Tom’s death, Olive went to college and graduated in 1975 with an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts. (A dream fulfilled!) She worked for the Internal Revenue Service in Holtsville, New York, as a tax examiner and new- hire trainer.
In 1976, she married Daniel Dorn and volunteered as a crisis pregnancy counselor, Christian bookstore manager/purchaser, Sunday school teacher and Prison Ministry at Sing Sing.
Upon retiring from the IRS, Olive and Dan Dorn moved to The Dalles, to be closer to family. After settling into the community, Olive was a community Bible study leader for 20 years, Child Evangelism Fellowship bookkeeper, and Church librarian, she helped with Awana, JAM and VBS, Sunday school, other miscellaneous church committees and Mid-Columba Medical Center courier and chaplain services. At the age of 70, she taught herself computer programs.
In addition to her sewing passion, she enjoyed knitting, crocheting, gardening, keeping up on current events and reading at least two books a week. She spent a lot of time in the Word.
Olive is survived by daughter, Elise, and husband, Ben Bailey; granddaughter, Kendra and husband, Kenneth Thomas; 5 great grandchildren: Isaiah Timothy, Olivia Rose, Elijah Andrew, Joshua Matthew and Lilya Trinity.
Dear to our hearts are Tricia, Nia, Feli, Pam and Mary Alva for the deep love and care given to mom the past four years. Love to mom’s very dear friend, Linda Kuzma, for your visits, cards, remembrances and calls. Thank you to everyone at Providence Hospice for your compassionate work.
The family would like to invite you to an informal gravesite remembrance, April 8 at 1 p.m. at Three mile cemetary. A picnic at Sorosis park for friends will follow.
I love you, mom.
To plant a tree in memory of Olive Dorn as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store.
