Elizabeth "Liz" Doores

Elizabeth "Liz" Doores, 89, of Missoula, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014, at The Springs.

She was born June 8, 1925, in Topeka, Kansas, to Clarence E. and Gayle Bowersox Niven. Liz graduated from Topeka High School in 1943 and the University of Kansas in 1947 with a degree in occupational therapy. While at the university, she played the trombone in the band.

On Nov. 7, 1947, she married Dr. James R. Doores in Atlanta, where they were both working for a VA hospital. The couple lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Borger, Texas; Overland Park, Kansas; and Fayetteville, Arkansas, before moving to Galesburg, Illinois, where she lived until 2006. A daughter and two sons were born during these years. In Galesburg, a second daughter was added to the family.

Liz worked many years as an occupational therapist with adults with developmental and physical disabilities, and assisted with Special Olympics events. After her retirement in 1993, she volunteered with community programs in Galesburg such as hospice, food pantry, mental health center hotline and was a student reading buddy for elementary schoolchildren. She was a valued member of the First Presbyterian Church. Liz was a quiet and patient friend and helper to many. She always said she would help in any way she could, just not by joining organizations and holding offices.

Liz liked to hunt for arrowheads, beachcomb, fix things with her own tools and ingenuity, attend auctions, and burn stuff in the barrel that used to be allowed in the backyard. She gave at least 13 gallons of blood to the Red Cross. She loved the mountains and countryside, was a patriot, recycled with a vengeance, enjoyed her birdfeeders, and raised cats and kittens. Among her extensive filing system, she kept recipes for kitten formula as well as maps for finding geodes, just to name just a few.

She was a great support for all of her children. This included overseeing a menagerie of animals such as a small alligator in the main floor bathub, a rat snake and a dog that would escape every time any door was opened. She encouraged her children toward Scouting, fishing, boating, camping, learning to swim, artwork, rebuilding cars and a motorcycle. She liked to travel and was the only one in the family brave enough to drive steep, winding roads in Colorado. Liz descended from a long line of genealogists and would diligently and patiently tromp through cemeteries looking for ancestors. She carefully preserved family heirlooms and documents.

Liz was a loving grandmother to four grandsons and two great-grandaughters. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her son, Henry Doores, who died in 1969.

Survivors include daughter, Susan Doores (Rex Svoboda) of Missoula; son, Michael Doores (Patricia) of Galesburg and their sons Steve Doores (Beth) of St. Louis and Brent Doores (Kathy) of York, Pennsylvania, and their daughters Annemarie and Meredith; and daughter, Jennifer Larson (Cary) of Missoula and their sons Seth and Chaucer. She is also survived by her beloved younger brother, Grant V. Niven of Kettle Falls, Washington. She will be missed by many nieces and nephews.

The family is grateful to The Springs of Missoula for providing a loving home and compassionate care for more than eight years. The comforting services of Partners in Home Care Hospice were greatly appreciated. Private family services will be held at a later date.
Read Elizabeth Doores's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.