Memorial

Dorothy Helena (Burrack) Boynton, 90, of Cedar Rapids died in her sleep on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Cottage Grove Place, Assisted Living.  Services will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, where a visitation will begin at 9:30 until service time.  Burial will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Dorothy was born December 26, 1928 at her parent’s farm just south and east of Arlington, Iowa, the daughter of Enno A. and Christjanna (Jennie Wessels) Burrack. She attended County school at Putnam Township No. One which was located on a corner of her parent’s farm until the County Schools combined. She then went to Lamont Schools and graduated from there in 1947. She was a member of the school choir. She talked a lot about the school bus system and how they would get stuck in the snow in the wintertime. Dorothy was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Strawberry Point, Iowa, where she was a member for many years. 

Dorothy continued to live with her parents when they moved to their new farm across from AMPI Creamery (which is currently the Starmont School site). She worked at several local stores before starting work at Raytheon Radio and Television in Oelwein, Iowa where she made circuit boards for radios and other items. When Raytheon closed, Dorothy got a job with Collins Radio on the circuit board line in Cedar Rapids. Since it was “so far” from Arlington, she got an apartment and eventually bought a house in Cedar Rapids. But she would drive home every weekend in her prized Chevelle named Betsy. 

In her younger days, Dorothy and her siblings would get up at 3 AM, do their milking chores and travel all the way to “Turtle Creek”, close to Manchester, Iowa where they would meet their cousins and go fishing all day.  She said she would always catch the most fish.

Another fond childhood memory was the annual Wessels Christmas Dinner.  Her mom, Jennie had so many sisters and brothers that they had to rent a hall somewhere just to get all the aunts, uncles, and cousins together in one place.  The Burrack Christmas Dinner was always at Ernie and Jennie’s with Dorothy helping her mother with the cooking.  Dorothy was a very good cook and loved cooking and hosting many family dinners.  There was always a cookie and a cup of coffee to be shared at Dorothy’s kitchen.  Dorothy won first place in The Gazette’s Sixth Annual Cook-off contest in the appetizer category.  She had an extensive cookbook collection (over 300).  You could tell which ones were her favorites as they were worn and had many dog-eared pages along with traces of the ingredients.

Fishing trips to Minnesota were very special for Dorothy, traveling with her brothers Harold and Alfred, sister-in-law Eva and a family friend, Bob Burgitt.  They would rent a cabin on Lake Winnibigoshish where they would stay for a week.  After brother, Harold, married Delores and moved to Wisconsin, Dorothy would drive her parents up to see them several times a year.  She also took many trips to visit her sister Evelyn in Panama, Louisiana and Missouri.  She loved her nieces and nephews and spent many hours babysitting them saying she felt like their second mother.

Dorothy loved to dance and whenever she could talk her brothers into taking her, she spent many a Saturday night at The Coliseum in Oelwein, dancing to the old country bands with many eligible bachelors from the neighborhood.

Just when she thought she would never be married, she was invited to play cards at a neighbor’s house in Cedar Rapids.  Little did she know, she was being set up to meet this guy named Virgil Boynton.  They hit it off and Virgil became the love of her life.  Dorothy and Virgil were married July 14, 1979 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Strawberry Point.  It was a joyous day as Dorothy became a Wife, a Mother and Grandmother all in one day, as Virgil had 3 daughters and several grandchildren.  She loved it when the little ones called her Grandma and even more when Virgil called her Sunshine.  They bought a home in Marion where Dorothy had a big garden and a friendly little squirrel named Bushy which Dorothy would proudly tell you that she would feed him out of her hand.

Virgil taught Dorothy to golf but said that neither one of them were any good at it.  They also joined a square dance club which went dancing every 2 weeks.  When they tired of the cold winters, they bought a Mini Mobile home and spent many winters in Texas.  20 years ago, Dorothy and Virgil moved from their house in Marion to a beautiful condo just a few blocks away, so they didn’t have to shovel snow or mow lawn anymore.  They spent a lot of time visiting, going out to eat and playing cards with their neighbors and friends.

All her life Dorothy liked to sew, making a lot of her own clothes.  She crocheted many an afghan which she gave away to family and friends.  She kept everyone supplied with her crocheted dishcloths.  Up until the last couple of years, Dorothy was still making beautiful pieced quilts which she also gave to family members.  Due to failing health, Dorothy and Virgil moved to Cottage Gove Place last year.  Last December, the family gave Dorothy a birthday party, as she turned 90.  Dorothy said that it was the only birthday party she had ever had because her birthday was so close to Christmas.  She was so happy to help Virgil celebrate his 100th birthday this last October.

Dorothy is survived by her husband, Virgil; a brother, Harold Burrack, nieces and nephews, Pat (Bob) Dzaboff, Dan (Patty) Burrack, Brenda (Larry) Fliehler, Tom (Kathy) Riley, Ed (Maureen) Riley, Lavern (Linda) Burrack, Loren (Bonny) Burrack, Larry (Amy) Burrack, Lance (Robin) Burrack and many great and great-great nieces and nephews; 3 step-daughters, Lynette Lang, Jeanne (Robert) Blahnik, Kristen Hiland, 7 step-grandchildren and 15 step-great-grandchildren, along with many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernie and Jennie; brother, Alfred Burrack; sister, Evelyn Riley; sisters-in-law, Eva Burrack and Delores Burrack; brother-in-law, Peter Riley; niece Karen Mack and nephew Galen Mack; and all her aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in care of Brenda Fliehler, 10128 Bell Road, Arlington, Iowa 50606.