Dorothy P. Salsgiver, nee Peterman, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, March 19, 2021 after a long and well lived life.
A daughter of the late Everett Earl and LaVina May Peterman, she was born June 6, 1922 in Indiana.
She graduated from Indiana High School in 1940 and graduated from the Allegheny General Hospital School of Nursing in 1943. She was accepted into the Navy Nurse Corps in 1944 and then into Reserve Status in 1946 when the war ended. She was discharged in 1951. Dorothy returned to Indiana in 1946 and worked in Indiana Hospital. She married her husband, John, in 1948. In 1948 she took the job as the school nurse of Indiana County schools. She covered 26 schools throughout the county – 2 small high schools and 24 one-room schools. She did a “good bit of driving and enjoyed each day”. She spent most of the day completing tests required by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Dorothy continued working until 1951, and retired to have a family. In 1962 she was asked to teach Health and Physical Education as a temporary teacher. When that was completed, she became the School Nurse at the Indiana Senior High School until 1982 – 21 years later. At retirement, she was active in volunteer services, working at the Red Cross, Vision Screening, Meals on Wheels, Indiana Hospital, and with Garden Club, developing a Senior Citizens Garden at the East Pike Complex. Dorothy moved to suburban St. Louis, MO seven years ago to be closer to family.
She is survived by her son, William John (Dayna); grandsons, John Shelton (Jennifer), of Chicago and Mark Denny of St. Louis; two great grandchildren, James and Julianna, of Chicago.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John William Salsgiver.
Visitation will be held at Robinson-Lytle-Shoemaker Funeral Home, 36 N. 7th St., Indiana on Saturday, June 12, from 3 p.m. until the time of the memorial service conducted by Susan Hutchins at 4 p.m.
A memorial buffet dinner will be held at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex (KCAC) following the memorial service at 5 p.m.
To view the online obituary, sign the guest book or send condolences, please visit www.shoemakerfamilyservices.com
