Dorothy Stack

Dorothy Virginia Randall Stack, 93, of Midvale, Utah, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, friend and poet, passed away on May 14, 2021 at home surrounded by loved ones. She always considered herself middle aged as we were always told by her that she would live to be 125. She was born to Burl Edward Randall and Besse Ellen Webb Randall on August 26, 1927. Dorothy and her younger brother Bill (deceased) grew up in Riverside, California. She often talked about when the air was scented with alfalfa fields and beautiful orange groves in the area.

Dorothy met the love of her life Richard Boyce Stack (deceased) in Seattle, Washington while attending and graduating from nursing school. They had 60 beautiful years together. They raised three children together in the Yermo-Barstow California area--William Richard Stack, Shirley Ellen Stack Whitehead (Jim), and Timothy Randall Stack. They have five grandchildren-Angela Nicole Stratton (Scott), Harley Mitchell Stack (Alison), James Randall Whitehead, Michelle Elaine Guymon (Derek), David Thomas Whitehead (Niko), and six great-grandchildren- Jesse, Alex, Destiny, Heather, Steven (S.J.), and Madison (Madi).

Dorothy enjoyed many activities with family and friends over the years. Volunteering at the Sandy Amphitheater and Pioneer Theater as an usher for many gave her the opportunity to see many plays and musicals which she loved. She spent a lot of time at the Senior Centers close to home and played the harmonica and sang in the choir at the Midvale, UT senior center. Dorothy loved the ladies in her Red Hat group, “Putting on the Red,” and attending the dinners once a month with them. She often would have a new poem to share with the group. For her 90th birthday the Red Hat Queen even published a book of her poetry to give out to her friends.

Dorothy loved butterflies. They could be seen all around her house and she always had a butterfly on her lapel. When you see a butterfly, think of Dorothy.

These are Dorothy’s words from her book of poetry…

Poetic Passion

My passion is poetry. Poetry comes very easy as there’s beauty all around-from the skies to the forests, to the mountains and thundering oceans. There also are the bad and ugly. I choose the opposite by seeking only the good, truth and love. I see rhythm and beauty all around me from day to day, and love to express my thoughts in written form that perhaps comes as fleeting as butterflies.

Shining through the sunlight,

Looping through the sky,

Brightly colored butterflies

Gaily flutter by.

With silent moving grace,

They zip from flower to flower

Like a musical display

I could just watch for hours.

Then, mimicking a leaf

Gently floating down

They swoop into the air

And Gaily flutter round.

Filling the sky with beauty

On this brightest summers day

Magic seems to fill the air

As they journey on their way.

I love to drive up toward the canyon and stop at the higher overlook just to see the beauty of the valley all lit up at night. The thing is, at night when I'm trying to sleep; I keep remembering the events of the day and putting them into rhyme in my mind. Then, of course, I have to get up and write it down and work with it to get it just right- and so goes the night! Then, when I do get to sleep, my dreams take flight to a magic place where there’s love, excitement and happiness. Who wouldn’t want to