Dolores "Dee" Vossler Obituary (1962

In Loving Memory of Dee Vossler Dee was a loving wife...mother...grandmother...daughter... and sister. Dee loved life with her family and the joy of cooking, especially the authentic Mexican dishes for her family and friends. Dee loved scrap booking for her children, the diversity of people in her career life, and cheering as a Cornhusker Football fan, as well as, a Friend Bulldog parent. She loved the rock and roll music of the 1980's and could look at a car and verbalize the make and model of anything with four wheels. Everyone that knew her loved her "one liners" that showed her independence and determined style. However, her natural calling was that of mentoring people, including her family, by encouragement and leading by example. She had a quick sense of humor and an articulate way of expressing herself that drew many people to her and her love of life. Dolores Jean (Macias) Vossler was born July 3, 1962 in Scotts bluff, Nebraska, the youngest of of three daughters born to Charles and Josephine (Sapien) Macias. As an infant Dee was baptized at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Scottsbluff. She attended grades K-6 in Gering, Junior High in McGrew, and her High School years were in Bayard. In 1982 she graduated with an Associate Degree in History at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff. She continued in school and in 1984 she earned her Bachelor's of Science Degree at Chadron State in Secondary Education with a major in social sciences and minors in history and political science. Dee was selected for membership to two academic honoraries: Phi Alpha Theta (history) and Sigma Delta Nu (education) which exemplified her strong belief of the importance of education. Her multicultural and linguistic talents enabled her to connect and communicate with so many in her part time work at Miller and Paine as a personal shopper and as a cocktail waitress at the Nebraska Club in Lincoln. Professionally she became acquainted with many of the local school sites as she daily substituted for Lincoln Public Schools for two years. She then entered a different venue with employment at the Youth Service System in Lancaster County, Lincoln, NE, and worked for two years at the TLC Group Home. A year later, Dee spent 1988 as a family teacher in the Boys Town Institute, Omaha. At this time she began and continued her graduate degree studies in International Relations at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She then made an employment change that would last for twenty-two years; she joined The Nebraska Department of Corrections in Lincoln. She began at the Youth Development Center (YDC) in Geneva as a corrections counselor and then later was promoted to supervisor for a period of five years. Dee then worked at the Staff Training Academy (STA) as a training officer. While in this position she maintained certification in Pressure Point Control Tactics, Chemical Agents, First Aid and CPR. Dee was also presented with an incredible opportunity to be the first female firearms instructor which included the instruction in five separate firearms. The last ten years she was a case manager at the Diagnostic and Evaluations Center (DEC) in Lincoln where she classified newly arriving inmates. Her outstanding commitment and dedication earned her several awards. The NDC Award of "Employee of the Year" in 1997, with notable tribute in the Lincoln Journal Star, was the first. In 2001, she received the "Community Service Award" for active community service. Another proud moment was being honored at the Governor's Diversity Award reception at the Nebraska Governor's Mansion. Dee was a member and mass lector of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and an Altar Society member and officer. She taught CCD classes on Wednesday evenings enjoying the time with her sons and their classmates and sharing her strong faith in Our Lord. Dee was very active in Tony and Pat's 4-H Club and prided herself as the "clean clothes and food lady" when show days arrived. As a Friend Booster Club member she organized, planned, and helped serve countless athletic team, speech and drama suppers, with the last one celebrating Tony's lead in the April "Guys and Dolls" musical. She was the epitome of the volunteer "Bulldog Mom" and served as room mother on fieldtrips and outings and annually served her famous chicken cheese enchiladas for the Cinco de Mayo Spanish classes to enjoy. She attended her children's activities, celebrating their successes and supporting their struggles with a firm position that the situation will make one grow as a person. There were life lessons to be learned and she modeled that repeatedly in raising her children and living life. Dee was also a Boy Scout leader, and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post #3, Lincoln, the Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Post #3909, Crete, and the Nebraska Cattlewomen's organization. While she was living in the Geneva area, it was then that Bruce spotted Dee at the June Jubilee in Milligan. Missing a chance for a dance with her, he pursued this dark-haired beauty in the months after the celebration. Dee called Bruce "the love of her life" and on March 9, 1991, Father Daniel Pohl married Dee And Bruce Alan Vossler at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Friend, Nebraska. Almost all of their twenty years of married life were shared at 511-5th Street, their present home. Dee had countless friends in her life, but in the company of Judy Kohout and Sharon Clouse a very special trio emerged. These three humorously nicknamed themselves "the three amigos" and enjoyed girlfriend vacations, coffee times, raising sons, and life's celebrations and tears together. After a courageous and long battle with ovarian cancer, Dee went to her heavenly home on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Warren Memorial Hospital in Friend, Nebraska at the age of 49 years 2 months and 28 days. She loved her work and continued to commute to Lincoln working with those she loved until shortly before she died. Over the past several weeks, she embraced those she loved. She slept, she talked, she coached, she laughed, and she held hands. She died with strength and dignity and will be missed by so very many that were immeasurably lucky to have known her. In addition to her husband Bruce, Dee is survived by her three children, Brandyn Nichole Sauer, Denver, CO, Anthony Alan Vossler and Patrick Richard Vossler, both of Friend, her granddaughter, Karmyn Paige Hauger, Denver, CO. Other survivors are her parents, Josephine and Charles Macias, also of Friend, sisters, Carla Hubbard, Scottsbluff and Vicki Uhlenbrock, Albuquerque, NM, brother-in-law and wife, Rex and Annette Vossler, and a host of aunts, uncles, numerous cousins, many nieces and nephews and a bundle of dear friends. She was preceded in death by Frank and Isabel Macias, paternal grandparents, Andy and Matilda Sapien, maternal grandparents, Ila and William Vossler, parents-in-law, several paternal aunts and one maternal uncle. A Funeral Mass will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Friend with Fr. David Bourek officiating. Interment is in Andrew Cemetery. A Rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the church. Visitation is from 9am-6pm on Tuesday at Lauber-Moore Funeral Home and one hour prior to service at the church on Wednesday. Memorials have been established to Dee's children's education or may be directed in care of the family. Pallbearers are David Jorgensen, Rich Randozzo, Sheldon Kohout, Steve Philson, Paul Woods and Matt Heckman. Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Robert Sapien, Phillip Sapien, Andrew Sapien, Dave Kanive, John Mark Sapien, Joseph Sapien, Mike Last, Mike Wilson, Dave Garrett and Thomas Clouse. Shirley Milton, organist accompanied Lacey Franzen as she sang "Ave Maria" and Paul Ramp as he sang "Time In A Bottle". The mass hymns were "Prayer of St. Francis", "Lamb of God" and "Holy Holy Holy". The entrance song was "Christ Be Beside Me" . The recessional songs were "Sabor A Mi" and "De Colores".