Dorothy E. Harbert, age 93, passed away on January 30, 2016. She was born in the small town of Warroad, Minnesota on February 9, 1922. She was one of twelve children.
Dorothy grew up a country girl in Iowa. During the 1930s, she played softball for the Columbia, Belinda, and the Lucas Merchantettes with sisters Agnes and Mary. The three sisters were later inducted into the Women’s Iowa Softball Hall of Fame in 1981.
After retiring from softball in 1938, Dorothy moved to Chicago with her sister Gladys. She worked in factories and was blessed with her three children: Tom, Shirley, and Chuck.
Dorothy retired at the age of 62. In 1987, Dorothy moved in with Shirley’s family to help take care of her two grandsons, Corey and Michael. She moved with the family from North Riverside to Plainfield; Plainfield to Goshen, New York; and then back to Plainfield in 1993, where she spent the rest of her life taking care of her family.
Being active was important to Dorothy, and she participated in activities that kept her close with her family. She bowled with her daughter Shirley, her son Chuck, and her niece Diana in Cicero during the 1970s and 1980s. Dorothy also played recreational softball with Shirley and was coached by Frank, her son-in-law. Later on in her life, she assisted her grandsons and their friends with their baseball skills, hitting and throwing the ball around with them. As she grew older, Dorothy continued to keep her mind sharp through doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and watching Jeopardy.
To say Dorothy was selfless is an understatement; she lived to help others. She loved watching her grandsons play football and especially baseball, where she saw the effects of her practices with them. She claimed to be a fan of all Chicago sports teams, but this was a compromise, especially in a house of White Sox fans. Closest to Dorothy’s heart was her beloved Chicago Cubs. Her generosity expanded beyond her family, and her ham sandwiches were famous amongst her grandchildren’s friends and classmates. She truly was “Grandma” to all.
She is survived by her loving children Tom Harbert, Shirley (Frank) Matus, and Chuck Harbert (Rich Kendzierski); grandchildren Corey Matus, Michael (Erin) Matus, Jimmy Harbert, Susan Harbert, and Kathy Harbert; and sister Mary Gwinn. Dorothy is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, 10:30 am at Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home, 24021 Royal Worlington Dr. (on Rt. 59) Naperville. Visitation Thursday 3-8 pm. Cremation will be private.
