Dorothy L. Wylie
Guest Book | Sign Guest Book
Dorothy L. Cordonnier Wylie, 86, St. Joseph, died July 16. She was born August 21, 1923, in St. Joseph, the daughter of Zed and Elizabeth (Schellhorn) Cordonnier. She attended St. Patrick’s grade school and the Convent of the Sacred Heart.
Dorothy worked at Western Dairy and at Douglas Aircraft before serving in the WAVES at the Naval Hospital in San Diego during WWII. She later worked at Westab before serving as chief clerk of Magistrate Court for 25 years.
She was very active in Democratic politics, serving in various offices and committees of the Buchanan County and Sixth District Democratic Committees and an organizer of the Northwest Missouri Pony Express Democrat Days. She was a Presidential Elector in 1964 and a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1972 and 1976. She was also active in veterans’ affairs, and held several offices, including Commander, at American Legion Post 359. She was a member of the flag-folding funeral detail at Post 359, and she and her husband were the only husband-wife flag-folding team for the American Legion in the U.S. She was involved in many other organizations, including St. Patrick’s Mothers’ Club, Christian Brothers Patroness Club, LeBlond P.T.A., Patee House Museum, St. Ann’s Altar Society, Daughters of Isabella, Ladies of Charity, American Business Women’s Association, St. Joseph Chapter of Legal Secretaries, Elizabeth Prescott Club, Soroptimist Club, St. Joseph Museum, Pony Express National Memorial Museum, Union Pacific Old Timers Auxiliary, and Ambassadors Club of Missouri Western.
In 1996, Dorothy and Dwane were honored by the St. Joseph News-Press as People Who Make a Difference in St. Joseph, and they also received awards for St. Joseph Civic Recognition, Tourism Convention Bureau, Outstanding Contribution to the Life and Work of the Church and Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and the Jerry Litton Award from the Sixth District Democratic Committee.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dwane Wylie, Sr., her parents, two sisters, Elizabeth Hurst and Danette “Tootie” Thomson, and three brothers, George Cordonnier, Bill Cordonnier and James Cordonnier.
Survivors include her son, Dwane Wylie, Jr., and wife, Connie Westhoff of New York City; her daughter, Mary Lou Wylie, and husband, Lennis Echterling, of Harrisonburg, VA; three grandchildren and two step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 20, at St. Patrick’s Church, under the direction of Heaton-Bowman-Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel. Interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, St. Joseph. Rosary by Daughters of Isabella and Ladies of Charity 4:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. the family will receive friends on Monday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., with a parish rosary at 7:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1813 South 12th Street, St. Joseph, MO 64503.