Dorothy Joan (Platt - McNeill) Strahm, 97, passed away on July 29, 2020. 

She was born on March 21, 1923 in Kansas City, Kansas to James E. and Irene R. (Tate) Platt.  Dorothy was one of 4 children: older sister, Elizabeth “Betty” J. Drown (Platt); younger brother, James E. Platt Jr.; and younger sister, Mary M. Massey (Platt). 

Her parents and all siblings preceded her in death.  Dorothy was married to Leo Jake McNeill on June 15, 1957 in Parsons, Kansas.  Leo subsequently passed away from pancreatic cancer on February 11, 1968; Dorothy had 3 children with him. 

Dorothy married Matthias John Strahm V, her husband of 48 years, on April 26, 1972 in Prairie Village, Kansas and he survives.

Surviving are her 3 children: Jeannine M. Wolf (Stephen A.) of Loudon, Tennessee; Colin Brett McNeill (Kim E.) of Kokomo, Indiana and Michelle D. Koerner of Leo, Indiana.  Also surviving are 8 grandchildren and their spouses: Douglas A. Wolf (Brynn) of Morristown, Tennessee; Janet L. Ramick (Keith D.) of Sammamish, Washington; Lauren D. Van Wassenhove (Sandor J.) of Seattle, Washington; Brittany D. Achard (Christopher T.) of Carmel, Indiana and Colin P. McNeill (Laurissa Nieto) of Newport Beach, California; Taylor R. Koerner (Lisa M.); Austin J. Koerner (Ashley N.) and Monica E. Koerner, all of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Eight great-grandchildren.

Dorothy was baptized, attended catechism classes and was confirmed as a member of the St. Peters Roman Catholic Church in Kansas City, Kansas while growing up. She attended Bishop Ward Catholic High School in Kansas City, Kansas and graduated in 1941.   She was active in high school and played guard for the girls’ basketball team. Upon graduation, her first job was hand folding greeting cards for Hallmark Cards in Kansas City.  She subsequently had a position in the commercial credit department with Transcontinental and Western Airlines (later, Trans World Airlines) and worked for TWA for 16 years while single.

Before marriage, Dorothy enjoyed traveling and flying with Trans World Airlines and attending sporting events (basketball and football) and attended several Notre Dame football games in South Bend, Indiana.  She particularly delighted in telling the story of going to the 30th anniversary of the “Four Horsemen of Notre Dame” football game and celebration in October 1954.

Upon marriage to Leo McNeill, they resided in Kansas City area and then moved to Bethany, Oklahoma in December 1966.  After a string of hospitalizations, Leo was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late January, 1967 and they relocated back to the Kansas City area (Prairie Village) to be closer to family and friends.  Leo McNeill and Matt Strahm became friends while working at Black & Veatch in Kansas City and jointly owned a private aircraft.  Matt became a cherished friend of the family and of Leo & Dorothy’s children.  Leo subsequently succumbed to cancer on February 11, 1968.

After marrying Matt in April 1972, Dorothy and the 3 children moved to Crystal Lake, Illinois where the children attended high school, graduated, and left for their college educations.   Dorothy was active in Crystal Lake as an election judge and was President of the Women’s Christian Club for many years.  Dorothy was a lifelong, avid reader of history and biographies of notable men and women.  She also enjoyed traveling a great deal and was for a period of time an artist, painting with oils.  She was a devoted and faithful wife, mother and homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and their many activities.

Dorothy and Matt moved to Sabetha, Kansas in 1996 into the West Village Independent Living section of the Apostolic Christian Retirement facility.  Dorothy and Matt attended the Bern Apostolic Christian Church and were active in the community. They supported community projects such as “Meals on Wheels” by being drivers in the Sabetha area and also supported local philanthropic causes like the new wing of the Sabetha Hospital.   

Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 10:30AM at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel in Sabetha, Kansas.  A Holy Catholic Rosary will be recited on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at 5:00 P.M. at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel in Sabetha with visitation to follow from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Graveside service will following at the Bern Apostolic Christian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas or to the Sabetha Apostolic Christian Home “Nursing Home Replacement Project”.  Dorothy and Matt have received outstanding care from this facility for past 7 years.