Dorothy Ritnour

Dorothy Ritnour, 87, of Creston, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, May 2, 2026, at her home surrounded by family. She left behind a legacy of faith, compassion and devotion to family and community.

Funeral services with the Nurse Honor Guard will be 11 a.m., Friday, May 8, at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center of Creston, with Rev. Jodi Rushing officiating. A visitation with viewing will be held from 3-7 p.m., with family receiving friends from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, May 7, at the funeral home. Dorothy will be laid to rest in the Stringtown Cemetery in a private ceremony.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the First United Methodist Church of Creston or the SAINT Cat Rescue and Adoption Center.

Dorothy Ann Dillinger was born Sept. 3, 1938, in Madison County, the daughter of Orley Virgil and Fern Grace (Ross) Dillinger. She attended a rural school there before her family relocated to Adams County, where she continued her education in Corning. She graduated from Corning High School with the class of 1955.

Dorothy was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was first united in marriage to Donald Brokaw, and together they were blessed with three children: Christine, Gregory and Angela. Later in life, Dorothy married her childhood friend Russell Ritnour in 1975. Through this marriage, she lovingly welcomed two additional children, Randall and Lendall.

Dorothy and Russell briefly lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia, before returning to Iowa in 1978. Together, they shared a love of adventure, traveling across the United States on their motorcycle and camping with friends and family. Dorothy was deeply rooted in her faith and found great purpose in ministry work with the Christian Motorcycle Association, where she helped share faith and encouragement with women in prisons and other facilities. Dorothy spent as much time as she could with her family, cherishing the moments they shared and carrying on beloved traditions. She found great joy in birthday celebrations, Christmas cookie baking and decorating, gardening and gathering for yearly holiday celebrations. These simple yet meaningful moments were at the heart of what mattered most to her.

A lifelong caregiver, Dorothy dedicated much of her career to serving others. She began her medical service at Rosary Hospital as a candy striper, where she volunteered for many years. She later worked as a dental assistant before pursuing her passion for nursing. Dorothy returned to school and earned her LPN, going on to serve as Dr. Goetz’s nurse at the Creston Medical Clinic for 20 years. She was known for her kindness, patience and unwavering commitment to her patients.

Dorothy was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church. She was also a member of the Fleet Reserve Auxiliary and the Order of Eastern Star. Dorothy will be remembered for her strong faith, generous spirit and the love she shared with all who knew her.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Russell in 2018; son Greg Brokaw; brother Virgil Dillinger; three sisters: Florence Thompson, Darlene Miller and Doris Cooney; her sister-in-law Alice Dillinger; three brothers-in-law: Luther “Bud” Thompson, Joe Miller and Karmit Cooney and her parents.

Dorothy is survived by two daughters, Christine O’Clair of Creston and Angela (Ron) White of Creston; two sons, Randall Ritnour (Vanessa Emlich) of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Lendall (Marlene) Ritnour of Roca, Nebraska; daughter-in-law Sherry Parker of Prescott; nine grandchildren: Stacie Brokaw (Travis Host), Alex (Dakota) Brokaw, Jason Brokaw, Justin Brokaw, Amanda Brundage (Trent Tillman), Christina Borgia, Christall Ritnour, Spencer Ritnour and Shelbie Ritnour; eight great-grandchildren and several bonus grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dorothy is also survived by two brothers: Ralph (Jan) Dillinger of Creston and Wayne (Marilyn) Dillinger of Dawson, Illinois; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.