Dorothy Marie Kern, 95, passed away peacefully February 2, 2025, at the Monroe City Manor as family members offered prayers for her happy meeting with her Lord. She was born at the Spalding family home at Indian Creek on May 26, 1929 to Gerald David and Myrtle Gertrude Hays Spalding. She was the second of their 13 children. Dorothy married William Burton Kern on December 27, 1949. He passed away on September 21, 2004.
 She grew up in a happy home with all her sisters and brothers, grandparents, and a special uncle, Wilfred. She attended Mass at St. Stephen Church and went to grade school and high school at St. Stephen. After graduation she went to Mt. St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas to pursue her goal of becoming a teacher.
 She later received her graduate and master’s degrees at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College. Her teaching career began at Hassard School. She taught at Indian Creek grade school and ended her teaching career as a second-grade teacher in the Monroe City public school. After her 30-year teaching career, she began her second career, working in the real estate business for the next 30 years.
 Dorothy will always be remembered for her love and her talent in music. She started taking piano lessons at aged 7 and was an accomplished pianist, playing organ and piano faithfully for weekly Masses and special events for 75 years. She shared her talents in teaching others to play the piano and as accompanist for vocal performances. She also shared her talents as she provided accompaniment for sing-alongs with family and friends and many visits to the nursing home, playing the requests of the residents for their favorite songs. She was an original member of the Monroe City Singers. She also loved attending musical and theatri­cal presentations with her family and friends and was encouraging to the local performers.
 Dorothy was a lifetime-learner, always reading, taking classes, and trying new things. The things she learned and the skills she acquired were shared with others. Whether it was sharing her musical talents with young people who wanted to learn, teaching and organizing religious education classes, delivering products from the garden she and Bill tended, fishing, or just being there to celebrate and encourage the good things of her siblings, nieces and nephews, and the students she had taught. She loved to entertain. The Christmas Eve Breakfast after midnight Mass and many other events and happy times were enjoyed in her home.
 Most of all, Dorothy loved her family. She organized gatherings and celebrations, always including a “performance” from her siblings which she planned, prepared, and saw that they practiced. Her good work there has provided many special memories.
 Dorothy is survived by her sister, Barbara Quinn and her brother Matthew Spalding, in-laws Jan Spalding, Sandra Spalding, Janie Spalding, Peggy Spalding, and Marsha Spalding, and her big group of nieces and nephews who loved her and were blessed by her care and interest in them. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, her parents, siblings Geraldine (Gerry) McNally, Patricia (Pat) Shoemaker, George Spalding, James (Albert) Spalding, David Anthony (Tony) Spalding, Cecilia (Cele) Spalding, Sarah (Sally) Hol­comb, Lawrence (Larry) Spalding, Robert (Harold) Spalding, and Daniel (Danny) Spalding, in-laws Herb McNally, Bob Shoemaker, Eva Jo Spalding, Don Holcomb, and Tim Quinn.
 A Visitation will be held Friday, February 7, at St. Stephen Church in Indian Creek, MO at 9:00am, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am. Fr. Greg Oligschlaeger will officiate. Burial will follow at St. Stephen Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Monroe City R-1Education Foundation and the Holy Rosary ChiorArea Renovation.