Dorothy Jean (Sevits) Tarr, 89, of Kirksville, Missouri, passed away Friday (March 8, 2013) at Scotland County Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Missouri.

The daughter of Dewey McKinley and Daisy Bell (Halley) Sevits, she was born January 24, 1924 in Novinger, Missouri. On March 6, 1943 in Kansas City, Missouri, Dorothy was united in marriage to Samuel Arnold Tarr who preceded her in death on May 28, 2004.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Bobby Lee Sevits in infancy and one sister, Donna Alderson.

Dorothy is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Russell and Pam Tarr of Greentop, MO, and Ronnie Tarr of Newton, IA; four grandchildren, Sam Tarr and wife Lisa, Rona Skow, Shawn Tarr and wife Kristal and Michael Tarr; six great-grandchildren, Stevie Skow, Nathan Butler, Brooklyn Mailcoat, Sawyer Tarr and twins, Hunter and Hayden Tarr, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Dorothy was a graduate from Kirksville High School with the Class of 1941 and attended Kirksville State Teachers College. After college, she taught at Pleasant View rural school in Schuyler County, from 1942 to 1945. From 1965 to 1986, Dorothy was employed for Hollister Inc. until retiring. Through the years, Dorothy enjoyed gardening, canning and was a great cook. She also loved flowers, animals, raising pop belly pigs for seven years, and after her retirement, enjoyed working with her son, Ronnie in his greenhouse ten years.

Dorothy was a twenty year volunteer for RSVP, a member of El Kadir Jewels and a fifty year member of Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter 184, first in Novinger, where she was past Worthy Matron and at present with the Kirksville Chapter.

She was a past member of the Mulberry Presbyterian Church and present member of the First Presbyterian Church of Kirksville.

Public visitation will be held Sunday (March 10, 2013) from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the chapel of Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville, with an Order of the Eastern Star service held at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday (March 11, 2013) at Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville, with Pastor Alan Coonfield officiating. Interment will follow the service at the Mulberry Cemetery, north of Kirksville.

Pallbearers will be Sam Tarr, Shawn Tarr, Michael Tarr, Glen Raye Alderson, Darrell Hamilton and Doug Hamilton. Honorary pallbearers will be Charles Sevits and Gerald Lyons.

Expressions of sympathy in memory of Dorothy Tarr may be made to the Mulberry Cemetery. Memorials may be left at or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.