Dorothy Stonecipher Wham

Dorothy Stonecipher Wham ("Dottie"), 94, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on October 20, 2019, surrounded by family.

Dottie was born January 5, 1925 in Centralia, Illinois, the daughter of Ernest Joseph and Thelma Stonecipher. The first in her family to attend college, she received a bachelor's degree from MacMurray College, then earned a master's degree in psychology from the University of Illinois. On January 26, 1947, she married her high school sweetheart, Robert Wham. In 1950, an assignment for Bob with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Montrose took the two of them to Colorado, the state Bob had fallen in love with as a boy.

While raising three kids and helping lead various PTA and school board projects, Dottie became active in local politics in the 1960s. From 1972 to 1980, she served as a member of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and from 1972 to 1982 she served as the Colorado/Wyoming State Director of the federal program ACTION. Dottie was proud to represent parts of southeast Denver in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1985 to 1987 and in the Colorado State Senate from 1987 to 2000. As her dear friend Charlie Hebeler puts it, "Dottie was tenacious, ultimately practical, a fierce defender of women's right to health care, and could put together very complex public policy because she worked with everyone - be they from the opposite party, knowledgeable staff, concerned citizen or professional groups."

Dottie loved to spend time in Frisco, Colorado, in the second home that she and Bob enjoyed together for years. She could often be found hunting wildflowers on Shrine Pass or aspen-peeping anywhere in the mountains she so loved. She also had an affinity for antiques and Native American artwork. Of course, beach time in Mexico - or anywhere it could be had and was warm, was always something she looked forward to and relished.

Dottie was preceded in death by her beloved Bob, in December of 2011, and also by her older brother, Charles Wilford Stonecipher, of Centralia. She is survived by daughter Nancy Mitchell of Franktown, Colorado and her husband Rohn, daughter Jeanne Ryan of Austin, Texas and her husband Brent, son Robert S. Wham II, of Bothell, Washington and his wife Jamie Shaffer; grandchildren Meridith Hatterman and her husband Jim, Lauren Ryan, Benjamin Wham Ryan and his wife Bridget, Dustin Shaffer and his wife Jazmine, and Jesse Wham; and many nephews, nieces and friends. She also leaves behind a brother, Ernest Joseph Stonecipher Jr., in Murray, Kentucky.

Dottie's family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Dr. Maureen Onat and Michelle Lugo and their staff, to the entire staff of Pine Grove Crossing Assisted Living, and to the nursing staff at Parker Adventist Hospital.

We also express gratefulness beyond words to caregiver Lynda Darley, for her tireless and compassionate assistance with our mother; and to Dr. Charlie Hebeler, devoted and loving family friend and Mom's confidante going all the way back to her legislative days.

A memorial service will be held at Mayflower Congregational Church, UCC, 3001 S. Acoma Street, Englewood, Colorado, 80113, on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains or to OutRunDiabetes.org.

Memorial Contribution