Elmer R. Dobler   --  2007

Elmer R. Dobler went home to be with our Lord on October 12, 2007. Elmer was born September 13, 1924 at the home 12 miles north and 1 mile east of Bethune, CO to John and Magdalena (Stutz) Dobler. He was the 6th son born to this union.

In 1932 he attended a one room school house at Prairie View which was ¾ mile from the house. He usually walked or rode a horse to school. Elmer graduated from the 8th grade. It was during this time that Elmer had a nephew as a playmate and that is how two tom cats’ tails got tied together and hung on the clothes line.

Elmer was baptized in 1924 and confirmed on May 16, 1940 at Hope Congregational Church. He was a lifelong member of Hope Congregational Church and served in numerous positions on the Church Board and was active in all church activities. He also sang with the Christian Businessmen’s Choir that met at the mortuary every Thursday night for several years.

Elmer was drafted in April of 1944 into the U.S. Army. He took his basic training at Camp Roberts, California. From there he was shipped out to the Luzon Islands in the Philippine Islands where he was assigned to the 37th Infantry Division as riflemen. He saw 2 months of combat until the Atomic Bomb was dropped and the war ended. He was then shipped to Okinawa for 15 months, where he was assigned to the Air Force as a maintenance man on airplanes. While in Okinawa he was granted a 3 day pass to Shanghai, China. After his 15 months he returned back to Fort Ord, California where he was honorably discharged in November, 1946 returning home in a bad snow storm to begin farming with his brother Ted since his father had retired.

Elmer and Delores Schaal were married March 9, 1952 at Hope Congregational Church. They moved to a farm eleven miles northwest of Burlington, which he had purchased in 1948. Elmer worked at Burlington Livestock Sales as a sale clerk. Elmer and Delores started milking cows and raising chickens along with farming and raising a garden every year. To this union three children were born, James Ronald, Raymond Dean and Raelene Danette.

In the latter 60’s he started farming with irrigation. He continued his job at the local sale barn one day a week as well as some special sales, as they could always use extra cash. In 1965 the milking herd was increased. In 1972 the milking barn was remodeled and a parlor put in to become Grade B Dairy. The milk truck came every other day and picked up the milk so that ended the separating and no more cream to sell. The dairy was upgraded to a Grade A dairy in 1977 and continued until 1995. Elmer and Delores purchased a home in Burlington and moved October, 1998. He continued to come to the farm every day, weather permitting.

He enjoyed hunting coyotes, bowling on a local team, collecting tarp straps off the highway and streets and watching his children in their sporting activities at school. He also enjoyed watching his grandson’s in their sporting events in school and was proud to have 2 grandsons on 2 State Football Championship Teams. In addition to that he enjoyed watching his grandsons show their livestock projects at the County Fair.

He is preceded in death by his parents John and Magdalena, brothers William and wife Ann, Theodore and wife Lydia, John Jr. and wife Edna, Arthur and wife Emma, Walter and wife Pauline and infant sister Magdalena, and daughter-in-law Deb Dobler.

He is survived by his wife Delores of the home, sons Jim and wife Cheryl, Raymond, grandsons Ryan and wife Katie, Darren and wife LaRae all of Burlington and daughter Raelene and husband Les Helzer, grandson Eric and granddaughter Macaela of Greeley and step grandson Garth and Jess and baby Ryan of Buffalo, Wyoming and step granddaughter Katie Sue Helzer of Cheyenne, Wyoming and numerous nephews and nieces.

Funeral services for Elmer were held on October 17, 2007 at 10:30 AM at the Hope Congregational Church with Pastor Carl Rogers and Reverend David Dobler officiating. Burial followed in the Hope Cemetery, Bethune Colorado.