Dorothy Mae Wood Grooms passed away on Wednesday September 16, 2026.

She was born on July 25th 1926 in Wilmore Kansas to John Prowell and Erma Mae Wood. Dorothy was the 5th child out of 8. She grew up during the Great Depression and spoke of very hard times on their farm just east of Wilmore. They were forced to give up their farm and move to the town of Wilmore when the drought came. The family lived with their grandparents for awhile and their father made $22 a month. Her mothers family came and loaded them and their few meager belongings in a small trailer and brought them to Sheridan Wyoming. Dorothy lived the majority portion of her life in the Sheridan area. She recalled there were 11 people in that old car that pulled their little trailer, 4 adults and 7 children. Times were hard for many people and they had only the bare necessities growing up. Her mother cooked a pot of beans everyday for years and that was their main source of protein. She never recalled having any kind of cakes or pies growing up but loved eating an occasional molasses cookie baked by her grandmother Fox.

She attended Central School from third grade on and in her junior year of high school she quit to go to work to help feed her family. Dorothy received a spelling award in the second grade and again after they moved to Wyoming in the 7th grade won another spelling contest and again in the 8th grade won 3 rd place in the Sheridan County Spelling Contest. She met and married Albert Donald "Bud" Grooms on Dec 31,1942 in Buffalo, Wyoming. She and Bud had five children: 2 sons, Daniel and Larry and 3 daughters, Linda, Barbara and Teresa. Bud worked for the PK Ranch and they resided in the Big Goose- Beckton School area some 10 miles from Sheridan for 43 years. In the years after all the kids had married and moved away from home Dorothy was able to do and learn many new things. She took up ceramics then learned to bowl and joined a team. She was President of the Big Goose Women's Club and was elected Secretary- Treasurer for school district #9. In 1969 she became a cashier in the Carl's Super IGA Market.

In that same year she completed her GED, something she had long dreamed of. She worked caring for babies and toddlers in Marion Day Care as well as the Infant Center. She was the relief cook for the PK Ranch cookhouse for 6 years as doing, cooking, baking, cleaning and sewing for Sally Forbes at Becton Stock Farm. She loved cooking, baking, sewing, gardening, reading, bowling as well as traveling but her greatest love was children. She absolutely loved and adored babies and children. Her family was always first and foremost on her mind and in her heart. She had 18 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Albert "Bud" Grooms, son in law Frank Codlin, son Daniel Albert Grooms, all of her 7 siblings; Margaret Torrens, Gertrude Cordray, Jack Wood, Harold "Slim" Wood, Eleanor Rinker, Erma Virginia "Ginger" Patterson, and Norma Arlene Grooms. She is survived by her children: Linda (Frank) Codlin & family Ken & Kelly Codlin, Carol & Jimmie Walker, Anna & Mike Waynards. Barbara ( Dave) Hoyt & family Dana & Keith Wojciechowski, Jolene Nelson, Kelly & Ben Betz, Jeff Hoyt, Jenni & Jeremy Cameron, Barb ( Daniel) Grooms & family, Danny & Julie Grooms, Lori & Matt Toner, Teresa (Ken) Gorzalka & family, Allen Gorzalka, Chris & Alexis Siedel Gorzalka, Larry (Kerry) Poehlman Grooms & family, Larry & Vickie Grooms, Lisa & Lincoln Ramsey, countless nephews, nieces and cousins.

You had an AMAZING 100 years of life Mom, Rest in Peace.

Champion Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.

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