Dorothy Elaine Kuhta

Dorothy Kuhta (née Madjeski) died peacefully of natural causes on May 19 at the age of 101. After the loss of an infant twin sister, Dorothy was raised an only child in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Dorothy fashioned a life of her own, eloping with the late John Constantine Kuhta, an engineering student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and her husband of sixty-nine years, raising three sons and modeling a personal value system on the teachings of her church and lifelong Christian beliefs. An exception to an otherwise modest upbringing and quiet youth, Dorothy was crowned “Miss Kenosha” in 1935, an event recorded in parade photographs that were a lifelong embarrassment to Dorothy and great pleasure for her family. Dorothy drew strength from her faith and her family, never forgetting a birthday, anniversary or special occasion. She wrote her greetings in a steady hand well into her 90s, ending every note with personal and loving words. She cherished family history, mementos of family life, and enjoyed nothing more than quiet time in the comfort of her immaculate home, making gatherings special in simple ways. She took great pleasure in being a homemaker and found comfort in prayer. Dorothy had her well-read Bible longer than anything she owned or cared to own. Daily she strove to understand the teachings of the Bible, guided by her utter faith and complete devotion. But she was devout without ever imposing her beliefs, and laughed easily at the comic turns of life. Dorothy prided herself on being physically active and remained agile into old age, dedicated to daily exercise and solitary walks. She was welcomed wherever she went because she was open and friendly, full of encouragement and always ready with a smile or kind word. She was lively around the elderly and infirm, full of empathy and understanding, attentive to those she found ailing or alone. Dorothy was a resident at Brookdale North Spokane, where her 100th birthday was warmly celebrated, and is survived by two sons, Robert (Richland, WA) and Richard (Toano, VA), three daughters-in-law - Karen, Denise and Candace - five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her life-long spouse, John, and beloved middle son, Kenneth Alan. A private family service will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane, WA.