Dorothy Rae (Gillette) Mohr-Ruger

Dorothy Rae (Gillette) Mohr-Ruger, 93, of Wellsville, Kansas died Saturday, August 24, 2024 at Wellsville Retirement Community in Wellsville, Kansas.

She was born July 7, 1931 in Denton, Texas the daughter of Raymond and Ada Mae (Witt) Gillette.  The family moved to Ottawa when Dorothy was a child.  She graduated from Ottawa High School with the class of 1948.  After raising four children to preteens, she attended Ottawa University, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Education.  She then earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Emporia University. 

On August 15, 1949 Dorothy was united in marriage to Gene Russell Mohr in Ottawa, Kansas.  They spent 56 years of loving marriage together until his passing in 2006.  In 2009, Dorothy married Jack Ruger of Weslaco, TX, who also precedes her in death. 

Dorothy worked as a 9th grade English teacher at Ottawa Junior High School.  She then became the high school counselor in Bonner Springs and then Gardner, where she retired. 

After marrying Jack in 2009, Dorothy moved with Jack to his farm in Garrett, IN. Later they built a new home on Lake Hamilton in Indiana where they lived until 2021. Dorothy and Jack spent their winters in Texas, and later Florida. 

Dorothy volunteered at Lighthouse Home for Girls and at the RMH Auxiliary on the Ransom Memorial Scholarship Board. 

Dorothy loved her flowers and gardening.  She raised Brittany Spaniel dogs and managed a Polled Hereford and Gelbvieh herd.  She enjoyed helping her children with 4-H projects.  Dorothy would help Gene on the farm, and helped Jack with his tree planting business.  She and Jack bought baby chicks, raised them to adults and shared the meat with family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Ada Mae Gillette; both husbands, Gene Mohr and Jack Ruger; a brother, Charles Gillette; a son-in-law, Willie Weems and two grandchildren, Stephanie Mohr and Dustin Mohr.

She is survived by two sons, Terry Mohr and his wife, Glenda, of Ottawa, KS, and Greg Mohr of Princeton, KS; two daughters, Connie Thompson and her husband, Tommy, of Healdton, OK, and Robin Weems of Lake Quivira, KS; a stepdaughter, Tammy (Ruger) Stafford and her husband, Tom; a stepson, Brent Ruger and his wife, Debbie; 11 grandchildren, Kristi Green, Brandi Grable, Ty Thompson, Tell Thompson, Tucker Weems, Josh Weems, Collin Weems, Tyler Mohr, Jake Stafford, Rachel Stafford, and Nick Stafford; and 9 great-grandchildren, Jordan, Noah, Sophia, Hollis Kate, William, Lily, Kyra, Wyatt, and Kaylee.

Funeral Services will be 1:30 p.m., Saturday, August 31, 2024 at the Community Revival Center, Ottawa, KS.  Graveside service will follow at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, KS.  To celebrate Dorothy’s life, a visitation will be held an hour before the service, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, August 31, 2024 at the Community Revival Center.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America or Community Revival Center and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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