Dorothy Faye (VerMeer) Qualls — Rochester

Dorothy Faye (VerMeer) Qualls, 80, of Rochester, a resident at Shorewood Commons, passed away on Monday, July 22, 2013, at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester.

Dorothy Faye VerMeer was born Feb. 19, 1933, on the family farm in Pella, Iowa, to John Paul and Jennie (Vander Ploeg) VerMeer. She graduated from Pella High School and then worked for Principle Life Insurance Company in Des Moines, Iowa. On Jan. 5, 1956, she married Mentral Qualls, Jr., in Des Moines. Mentral was in the U.S. Marine Corps for 20 years, and the couple lived in various locations in the U.S. After his retirement in 1971, the couple moved to Pella. Mentral worked for Vermeer Manufacturing, and in 1974, they moved to Southern California, and started a Vermeer dealership, retiring in 1985.

Dorothy was active in Horse Clubs and was co-founder of the Riverside Wranglers. She was a devout Christian and an active member of the River Christian Reform Church in Redlands, Calif. From 1993 to 2001, she worked helping her daughter to establish a video store in Calimesa, Calif. In 2008, she moved to Rochester to be near her daughters and grandchildren. Dorothy moved to Shorewood Senior Living in Rochester in June of 2012 where she was active with the welcoming committee. Dorothy was a wonderful and loving person; she loved animals, enjoyed meeting friends, and her grandchildren. She will be greatly missed.

Survivors include her husband, Mentral of Yucaipa, Calif.; her sons, Richard Mentral (Maura) of Englewood, Fla.; and Craig (Susan) of Castaic, Calif.; daughters, Cassandra Riley of Rochester; and Jennifer (Anthony) Warmsbecker of Byron; grandchildren, Rachel (Silas) Elliott; Jessica (Clay) Oberding; Kendra Qualls, Christopher, and Jordan Qualls, Tyler, Grace, and Katelyn Warmsbecker; step-grandchildren, Kerry Wallace, and Joshua Riley; great-grandchildren, Sayer Elliott, Trent and Jacob Oberding, step-great-grandchildren, Kalie and Brody Wallace; a brother, John Paul (Virginia) VerMeer of Pella; and a sister, Joan (Carl) Vogelaar of Santa Rosa, Calif.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Harold VerMeer.

Memorials are suggested to Injured Marine Semperfi Fund semperfifund.org/donate/ .

Services will be held at Plain View Farm in Pella, Iowa, Friday afternoon, July 26.

Mahn Family Funeral Home – Rochester Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

Friends may share a memory at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com .