Dorothy Sowers

Dorothy Smart Grace Sowers, 95, of Dover, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 21, 2015 at New Dawn Retirement Center at Dover.

Dorothy was born April 27, 1920 in Newcomerstown, Ohio to the late John and Marie (Sudduth) Smart. Her younger years were spent on a farmstead in the New Philadelphia area and she graduated from Midvale High School in 1938.

Home and family was where her heart always was and she raised her family in Scio, Ohio. Always a good neighbor, Dorothy was active in many community organizations including the Scio Civic Club, Eastern Star and the Scio Junior Women’s Club.

Dorothy and her first husband, Bill, owned and operated Grace’s Meat Market in Scio for 25 years. She then completed her working career at the Scio Bank Co., retiring after 15 years of service. She loved to travel and enjoyed spending winters in Florida and Arizona.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her step-mother, Esther Smart; her first husband, Rev. William K. Grace, in 1967; her second husband, Donald Sowers, in 1997 and a daughter-in-law, Jana Grace.

She is survived by her sons, Randall K. Grace of Delaware, Ohio and Dr. Ted W Grace of Carbondale, Illinois; a sister Lois Dunlap of New Philadelphia; her grandchildren, William K. Grace of Cincinnati, Heidi (Stephen) Langsdorf of Galloway, Ohio, Dr. Lacey A. (Everett) Grace of Rancho Cucamonga, California and Emily (Jesse) Grace Russell of Anderson, Indiana; her great grandchildren, Lauren and Nathan Grace and Logan and Lucas Langsdorf and nieces, Carol Kern and Jackie (John) Marty both of New Philadelphia.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Geib Funeral Center at Dover and again one hour prior to the funeral service on Friday. A service celebrating Dorothy’s life will be held on Friday, June 26, 2015 at 11 a.m. in the funeral home with Rev. Hugh Berry officiating. Entombment will follow in Dover Burial Park. Following the committal service a luncheon will be held in the Hospitality Room in the Geib Funeral Center.

Contributions may be made in Dorothy’s memory to the Scio United Methodist Church, 117 Maple Street, Scio, Ohio 43988 or to the Scio Historical Museum, c/o Dee Horstman, 90151 Kilgore Ridge Road, Scio, Ohio 43988 or to Community Hospice of Tuscarawas County, 716 Commercial Avenue SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.