Obituary of Dorothy Ann Fitzsimmons

MONTICELLO, IOWA Dorothy Ftizsimmons, 87, of Monticello died peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at the Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A visitation will be held from 9 – 11 am Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Monticello where a Mass of Christian Burial will commence at 11 am. Rev. Paul Baldwin will officiate. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Monticello. Dorothy was born Feb. 17, 1929, near Worthington, Iowa the daughter of David and Marcella (Laban) Gravel. She worked as a hired hand in her younger years and graduated from Coggon High School at the age of 17. She married Frank Fitzsimmons in 1950, and together they had three children. They later divorced but remained good friends. Bowling was one of her favorite pastimes and she actually won the National Class B Championship in Las Vegas one year. She was a well-known seamstress in the Monticello area for many years. She is survived by 2 children: Patricia Gassmann and Dennis “Fish” (Diane) Fitzsimmons, both of Monticello; 5 grandchildren,13 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren; a sister, Veronica Hansen of Davenport, and a sister-in-law, Margaret Gravel of Center Junction. She is preceded in death by a son, Stanley, a grandson, Jared Gassmann, 3 siblings: Tony Gravel, Mary Prull and Bernice (Larry) Bader.