Dolores Ruth Voelker of Olathe Kansas passed away from natural causes on July 2, 2022. Dolores was
born December 9, 1936 in Wenatchee Washington to Charles and Edith Boning, joining her two sisters
Patricia and Mary Jo, and followed a year later by her brother Bill.
She grew up on the family cattle ranch on Chumstick Creek north of Leavenworth Washington and she
spent her education years in Leavenworth, acquiring eyeglasses and good grades along the way and
graduating as the salutatorian of Leavenworth High School class of 1954.
Dolores then took a turn toward Spokane Washington, enrolling in Sacred Heart School of Nursing,
where she graduated in the class of 1957. Along with her Registered Nurse degree during her years in
nursing school, Dolores picked up a boyfriend, a railroad locomotive engineer named Mike Voelker, as
well as picking up his pet name for her, "Dorsey."
Mike and Dolores were married in Leavenworth in April of 1958 and bought a farm above the
community of Greenbluff Washington. The farm needed a bit of work. They set to the task of working
their careers and working on the farm, raising mostly cattle, pigs, chickens, a garden and kids. Dolores
and Mike had three of the latter, Mark, Greg, and Anne, all born while they lived there. Dolores had
chosen to be a full time, stay at home mom as the kids were born.
Job changes and moves took Dolores, Mike and the family from the farm to Wenatchee Washington,
Forsyth, Livingston, and Billings Montana, Saint Paul Minnesota, and Lenexa Kansas, dropping off kids at
various places along the way. Life for Dolores and the family changed every few years with new
locations, friends, schools and activities, and social events. She enjoyed being a homemaker and trying
out new crafts and recipes, could make great pies and cakes for any occasion, and was active in her
family's lives. Summers were family road trip vacations all over the US and Canada, mostly to visit other
relatives who were often also on the move. Family fishing trips were the norm as well. Dolores and Mike
learned to play bridge when living in Forsyth, and bridge became their social entertainment along with
their kids' activities. Empty nesting and retirement brought part time living at the family cabin at Lake
Mary Ronan in western Montana for summers, and their Lenexa home in the winters. Bridge groups and
tournaments were the common denominator for both places, binding winter and summer for them.
Mikes untimely death in 1998 created a hole in her heart, but left the ever-practical Dolores to downsize
to a smaller home in Olathe where she would spend the rest of her life. She still went to Montana most
summers, but for progressively shorter periods of time each year, finding it more difficult to scare up a
bridge game there. She made trips with relatives to the places of her past, to reminisce and see other
relatives and friends. She enjoyed attending plays and local theater with friends. She continued to enjoy
her bridge playing in Olathe with up to five different groups at times. She loved visits from her children
and grandchildren and having all loved ones come to spend time with her.
Dolores was preceded in death by her husband Mike, her parents, her sister, Mary Jo Routson, and her
brother Bill Boning. Dolores is survived by her three children, Mark Voelker and his wife Kathleen Grant,
Greg Voelker and his wife Jennifer, Anne Voelker and her husband Brent Olson, and her grandchildren
Luke Voelker and Helen Voelker. She is also survived by her sister Patricia Anderson and Sisters-in-Law
Shirley Boning and Jackie Voelker, as well as many nieces and nephews.