Mitchell – Dorothy Nadine Eskam died peacefully in her sleep at her home on Wednesday, October 18, 2012. Her family, many friends, and members of the community will sincerely miss her.
Funeral services will be held at the Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff on Friday October 26th, at 10:00 A.M. with Chaplin Edward Hunzeker officiating. Visitation will be available from 9:00 A.M. thru 8:00 P.M. on Thursday October 25 at the Dugan-Kramer Chapel. A celebration of her life will be held immediately following the services at the Farm and Ranch Museum located 1 mile west of Gering on the way to Scotts Bluff National Monument. A memorial gift may be made to the Farm and Ranch Museum in her honor. Tributes of sympathy may be left at www.dugankramer.com
Dorothy was born March 18th, 1933 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to James Edward Haddix and Nata (Senteney) Haddix. She grew up in Mitchell, Nebraska where she attended school, graduating from Mitchell High School in 1951. While in high school, she was a lead drum majorette and a champion swimmer and lifeguard. She married Ernest F. Eskam December 11th, 1955.
Dorothy and Ernest lived for a short time in Aurora Colorado where their first child Sharon was born. Shortly after this, they moved back to Mitchell to start farming and Dorothy took a position at the Mitchell Sugar Factory, where she honed her top-notch bookkeeping skills.
Dorothy and Ernest began their farming career in 1957, and have continuously farmed and ranched since that time. They worked together to build a very successful farm and ranching operation producing mainly sugar beets, corn, beans, alfalfa, and cattle. The Great Western Sugar Company honored Ernest and Dorothy multiple times as high ten sugar producers and they were also honored as the sugar company high producers, producing over three million pounds of sugar in a single year.
Dorothy was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She always enjoyed spending time with her family and she and her sisters enjoyed a special closeness. Dorothy was an accomplished seamstress, and crafter. For many years, Dorothy held a position as State Treasurer of The Nebraska Women’s Club. She also enjoyed taking an occasional day trip to Prairie Winds.
Survivors include her husband Ernest, daughter Sharon of Cheyenne Wyoming and her husband Bud with their sons; Jonathan, Dylan, Buddy and Tucker. Dorothy is also survived by sons Kent of Carlsbad California, his wife Laurie, and their children; Chace, Chance, and Molly and also by her son Fred of San Diego California, and his husband Ray. Additional survivors include her sisters, Barbara Blanco and family of Mitchell, Charlene Needham and family of Arvada; and Anita Fey, and family of Scottsbluff as well as sisters-in-law Ellie Forcade and family and Renata Svanda and family both of Gering Nebraska. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Richard Schledewitz and his family. She was preceded in death by her parents James Edward Haddix, Nata (Senteney) Haddix, her sister Cheryl Schledewitz, and her in-laws Frederick and Eva Elizabeth Eskam.