Doris Ione Junek, 99, of Spearfish, died Sept. 2, 2024, at Hospice House in Rapid
City, South Dakota.
A celebration of her well-lived, long life will be held Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish, South Dakota.
Doris “Dorey” Junek was born Doris Ione Holtry August 24, 1925, in Hettinger, North Dakota to Frank and Elsie (Darland) Holtry. The youngest of nine siblings, Dorey spent chore-filled, yet idyllic days at her parent’s ranch on the South Dakota prairie in Perkins County, near Zeona. Despite chores, birthdays and holidays were special times on the Holtry ranch. Dorey attended Spring Creek School where she graduated as eighth-grade valedictorian. Country schools concluded with eighth grade, making it necessary to live elsewhere to receive further education.
Consequently, Dorey’s freshman year of high school meant a move to Spearfish, South Dakota with her sister, Darline, two years her senior. For the first three years of high school, the sisters stayed with an elderly couple that rented out rooms in their home.
Dorey remained in the same second-story room alone for her senior year, as Darline married and moved from Spearfish. During Dorey’s sophomore year however, there was an obnoxious young man seated next to her in study hall that always brought a newspaper instead of a book. He would stretch out in his seat with his newspaper and announce, “All the comforts of home,” before settling in for his morning reading. Over time, Clarence Junek became less annoying and Dorey and Clarence found themselves attending prom together his senior and Dorey’s junior year.
After high school graduation in 1943, Dorey attended Black Hills Teachers College (now BHSU) completing her teaching certification requirements. She began her teaching career at Central School, between Zeona and Strool, instructing seven students in six different grades her first year. Dorey became engaged to Clarence in 1944, prior to his deployment overseas during World War II. In February 1946, Clarence returned from the war. The couple married on a Sunday evening, October 27, 1946. They moved to an apartment in Spearfish and together began to build a house nearby in the evenings, as both were employed at their respective positions during the day. Dorey bought Clarence a book titled, “Your Dream Home – How to Build it for less than $3500.” Clarence referred often to this gift during the building process.
During this time, Dorey worked 13 years for J. Gordon Betts, D. O. as an office manager, bookkeeper and office nurse, until the birth of Dorey and Clarence’s first daughter, Cheryl Joanne Junek (Vopat). Their second daughter, Janet Fay Junek (Parr) was born seven years later, three days prior to Dorey and Clarence’s 20th wedding anniversary. Many happy occasions arose throughout the years and delicious food cooked by Dorey was a constant, particularly when the new family/dining room addition was built on to their now completed home. No holiday went by unnoticed without a celebration, even May Day, when Dorey would make May baskets filled with daffodils and tulips from her beautiful flower gardens. The baskets were delivered to neighbors and her sisters via leaving the baskets at the door, ringing the doorbell, and running before the occupants answered the door.
Besides Dorey’s exceptional gardening abilities, she was a skilled tailor, even later in life, often rescuing her grandson James Ashton’s badly torn caving clothes, in order for them to be worn on yet another caving adventure. Dorey was also a marvelous cook and baked delicious desserts, from pies to bars to cookies, some earning the moniker of “Gran Gran cookies.” Family camping adventures remained abundant throughout the years, more so with the addition of a Rainbow camper trailer, modified and designed of course by Clarence and Dorey to better fit their family. In addition to
Dorey’s home design skills, she had a remarkable ear for singing beautiful harmonies. It came naturally for her and truly was a gift. Refinishing discarded or antique furniture was also a hobby the couple shared together, with many pieces remaining in her home to this day.
Doris Junek is the last surviving individual of the generation of Junek brothers who founded Junek’s Service, now Juneks, in 1931. She remained married to Clarence Junek for 57 years until his death in 2003. Dorey, also known as Mom, Grandma or Gran Gran, lived in her apartment until August of this year, 2024. Fiercely independent, she continued to host holiday gatherings, was an avid reader and crossword puzzler, took daily afternoon walks outside with her walker, and was always up for a picnic in Spearfish City Park during three-day holidays. Her daughters, Cheryl and Janet; sons-in-law, Steve and Ashley; grandsons, Josh, Zack, Jon and James Ashton; daughters-in-law and girlfriend, Amanda, Abby and Caroline; and great- grandchildren, Fiona, Colton, Clementine and Juno will miss her tremendously. Thanksgiving will not bestow the same magic as years past, as it will not be celebrated at Gran Grans.
Dorey is preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Elsie Holtry; sisters, Thelma Baker, Letha Munyon, Alice Gibson, Nina Orwick, Elsie Holtry and Darline Keifert; brothers, Bernard Holtry and Cecil Holtry; and spouses.
Donations may be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (https:// donate.imaginationlibrary.com/). Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting monthly books to children, no matter the family’s income.
In addition, a memorial has been established at the United Methodist Church in Spearfish, South Dakota.
Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com
