Dorothy Elizabeth Rinke

On February 26, 2025, Dorothy E. Rinke of Round Butte, MT, passed away at the age of 99. Dorothy was born on September 10, 1925, in Toppenish, Washington, to Charles and Alice McCready. She was the fifth of 11 siblings.

In April 1926, when Dorothy was just seven months old, her family moved to Montana, settling down the road from where she would later spend the rest of her life. One of Dorothy’s fondest childhood memories was a lesson in responsibility and courage. Around the age of 11, her father sent her to the Round Butte Mercantile to fetch a sack of nails and a sack of fence staples, warning her not to spill them. In a hurry, she jumped onto her horse, Major, bareback and rode off. On the way home, the horses in a nearby field took off running, and Major picked up speed. As he galloped faster and faster, Dorothy remembered her father’s warning. Determined not to spill a single nail or staple, she let go of the reins, clutching the sacks tightly in each hand. As Major made a sharp turn toward the ranch, she leaped off, landing safely, without dropping a thing.

Dorothy attended Round Butte School and then graduated in 1943 from Ronan High School. She married Hubert Rinke on September 13, 1946, and together they settled on the Rinke family homestead. There, they raised two sons, Virgil and Marty. Life was tough, and Dorothy’s grit was undeniable. She turned a two-room shack with a bedroom loft, where snowdrifts crept in during the harsh winter months, into a home.

In 1948, Dorothy’s lifelong love for adventure led her into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, where she cooked for hunting camps. She cooked for Bud Smith, Gary Abbey, and later, Mike Smith, spending many fall seasons deep in the wilderness. Dorothy was more inclined to go fishing, but she was a deadeye shot with a rifle when needed. Her son, Virgil, often joked that her birthday was September 15th, when it was just the opening day of hunting season.

After her husband passed away, Dorothy built a new home with all the modern amenities of indoor plumbing and electricity for her and the boys. Once Virgil and Marty left home, Dorothy began doing more things that she enjoyed, like traveling. She made numerous trips to Alaska to visit Marty and his family. She and her sister Rachel journeyed to the East Coast to visit their sister Joan and traveled to Hawaii and England together. She went to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the National Bowling Tournament, where she also visited SeaWorld, Disney World, the Botanical Gardens, and got to see the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Dorothy was a woman of many talents. Dorothy enjoyed baking especially cookies and rhubarb crunch for her family. Dorothy was also a skilled knitter. To keep her mind sharp, Dorothy did puzzles, word searches, watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. As an avid reader of suspense and mysteries novels, Dorothy spent countless hours reading and was a very well-known patron of the city library.

Bowling was one of her greatest joys, and she earned numerous accolades throughout the years for her talent and dedication. Dot, as she was affectionately known at the bowling alleys, had a competitive nature and enjoyed traveling with her teammates to local, state and national bowling tournaments. She also competed in the Montana Senior Olympics a time or two. She got her daughter-in-law Barb hooked on bowling, who then went on to coach the local kids, including Billie Jo who in turn encouraged Ben to get into bowling. Four generations of bowlers.

Dorothy was always willing to lend a helping hand to family, neighbors and friends. Her kindness, resilience, and sharp wit made her a beloved figure to all who knew her. Most the children of family friends and close neighbors in the Round Butte area called her “Grandma Dot” and she treated every child that came through the door as one of her own.

Dorothy’s strength and perseverance were evident in every aspect of her life, from working on the family ranch to raising her children with love and determination. Above all, Dorothy cherished her family. She loved being a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and most recently a great-great-grandmother. She took immense pride in her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchild. Some of our fondest memories are nights playing rummy or board games with Dorothy.

Dorothy’s legacy of strength, adventure, and love will live on in the hearts of all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her husband and sons. Dorothy is survived by her sister Joan McCready, brother Alan McCready, daughters-in-law Barb Rinke (Virgil) and Gaila Rinke (Marty), grandchildren, Billie Jo, Matthew, Dorothy Sue; great-grandchildren Ben, Cameron, Ally and Wyatt; and great-great grandchild, Blaine, and numerous nephews and nieces.

A Celebration of Life and potluck will be held at the Round Butte Club House on March 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Please bring your favorite dish or dessert along with your stories & photos to share.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Friends of Ronan Library, 203 Main St., SW, Ronan, MT 59864 in her memory.