Dorothy Warner, the former Mrs. John Warner, a longtime resdient of DeWitt County and lifelong supporter of the area has passed at age 93. Her obituary and remarkable life story is reprinted below.
GOVERNOR'S ISLAND, GILFORD, N.H. - Dorothy DuQuoin Warner, 93, of Governor's Island, Gilford, N.H., formerly of Clinton, passed away peacefully at 8:30 a.m. Monday, July 14, 2008, at the Taylor Community in Laconia, N.H.
The daughter of Andrew E. and Kathryn Smoot DuQuoin, she was born in Petersburg, May 11, 1915. Dorothy had one brother, John Smoot DuQuoin, born Dec. 31, 1906; he died in Bethesda, Md. in 1960. Dorothy's ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Petersburg, arriving from Virginia in the 1830s. They were friends and associates of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas and other prominent men of the day.
Dorothy graduated from high school in Kansas City, Mo., in 1932 and attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1936. Additionally, she studied French as an undergraduate and remained fluent in the language for most of her life. In about 1940, Dorothy married Joseph B. Hartranft and the couple resided in Washington, D.C. during the war years. Joe Hartranft was among the principal founders of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), an aviation society that represents the interests of pilots worldwide. Among Dorothy's friends are Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lindbergh, General and Mrs. James Doolittle and aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky. In 1945 Dorothy and Joe Hartranft were divorced.
During the war years, Dorothy was employed as head laboratory technician at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. She was very proud of her work in medicine and maintained an active interest in medical science throughout her lifetime.
In 1947, Dorothy married John Warner III, of Clinton, and returned to the Midwest. Mr. Warner was employed as president of the John Warner Bank and the couple resided in Clinton for many years. In 1967 they purchased a home on Governor's Island, Gilford, N.H. Dorothy made it her own residence after the couple divorced in the mid-1970s. With the decline of health of John Warner, III, Dorothy returned to Clinton, in 1983 to join the board of directors of the John Warner Bank. In 1984, after the death of her former husband, she was appointed chairwoman, a position she held for five years. Dorothy took a keen interest in the success of the John Warner Bank and it became a vital part of her life. She took up regular daily business hours, completed banking courses offered by the American Bankers Association and was among the members of the Illinois Bankers Association to meet with the Senate Finance Committee in Washington, D.C. She very competently guided the bank through a major expansion and modernization. Dorothy diversified the composition of the board of directors, encouraged the promotion of women into management positions, interviewed prospective employees, helped in the development of new products and services and generally enhanced the bank's atmosphere of warm, courteous and knowledgeable professionalism. Dorothy tirelessly promoted the John Warner Bank in the community. An ardent supporter of the arts and a passionate believer in education, Dorothy established and managed the Fine Arts Center of Clinton in the 1960s. The Fine Arts Center offered instruction in dance, voice, music, creative writing, sculpture and painting and served as the cultural centerpiece of the community of Clinton throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Dorothy and John Warner became personally acquainted with the renowned artist Andrew Wyeth and his wife Betsy, purchased an example of his work and, in 1966, became very involved in a major Andrew Wyeth exhibition as it toured museums and galleries across the nation.
From the 1970s through the early 1990s, Dorothy served as a trustee for Lindenwood University where, in addition to board service, she participated in long range campus planning and facility remodeling. She volunteered at the New Hampshire Humane Society and supported it for many years. In later years she became a passionate enthusiast for the New Hampshire Music Festival. Dorothy provided significant support to the Festival and quietly came to the aid of individual musicians as well.
Dorothy was enthusiastic about travel throughout her life. From childhood she traveled frequently in the United States. She visited the former Soviet Union and China shortly after the countries opened their doors to western tourism. Dorothy made numerous trips to Europe and made a particular point of sea passage on the Queen Elizabeth II and flight on the Concorde. She visited much of the Orient and Middle East.
Dorothy was an active member of PEO chapters in both Illinois and New Hampshire. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Clinton and regularly attended the Congregational Church in Laconia.
Dorothy is survived by one daughter, Kathryn Warner Miller; son-in-law, James Miller; seven grandchildren; Jonah Hanowitz, Lucas Hanowitz, Hien Miller, Chienn Miller, Kanika Miller, Effie Miller, Jesse Miller, all of Meredith and one son, John Warner IV, of Melvin Village.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, at Calvert Funeral Home in Clinton. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery in Clinton. Dorothy will be buried next to her former husband, John Warner, III.
Memorials may be made to Lindenwood University, Alumni and Development Office, 209 S. Kingshighway, St. Charles, MO 63301, or to New Hampshire Music Festival, 52 Symphony Lane, Center Harbor, NH 03226, or New Hampshire Humane Society c/o Marylee Gorman P.O. Box 572, Laconia, NH 03246.
Calvert Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences from your friends and customers from Wapella to the Warner Family.
