"My heartfelt condolences and prayers to the family,The loss of someone so dear to you is never easy, I hope all your wonderful memories that you shared with her brings you brighter days in the days to come ."
In loving memory of
Dorothy Jean Tiffin
August 24, 1929 - January 17, 2022
Livestream of the private service can be viewed at the following link:
https://boxcast.tv/view/dorothy-tiffin-private-service-761401
Dorothy Jean "Dot" Tiffin passed away on January 17, 2022 in Omaha, Nebraska after a long and truly remarkable 92 years of joyous life.
Dot was born on August 24, 1929 to Ralph and Bea Dingle, just days before the U.S. stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. Her sister Louise, who was seven at the time, was excited to meet her new sister!
From an early age, Dot was a gifted athlete, and absolutely loved competing in volleyball in school as a young lady. This love of volleyball continued throughout her life, and she played nearly every week at St. Pius X Catholic Church for 25+ years.
At 16, she landed her first job as a "Soda Jerk" at her neighborhood drug store's soda fountain. She had fond memories of being a "Soda Jerk" all her life, and became a proud member of the National Association of Soda Jerks at the Western Heritage Museum in the mid-1980s. She enjoyed volunteering as an authentic Soda Jerk at many events at the museum and other local events.
While in high school, she met and fell in love with Richard "Dick" Eugene Nelson, and Dot and Dick were married in 1950.
In 1956, Dot and Dick welcomed their first child, Donna Jean Nelson into the world. In 1960, they sadly lost a daughter, Linda Sue Nelson, soon after childbirth. In 1963, they welcomed their second child, a son Richard Gene Nelson, into their home. Unfortunately, Dick's lingering trauma from military service during the Korean War caused marital difficulties, and Dick and Dot separated in 1965.
Dot took a job at Max I. Walkers Cleaners in Benson in 1964 after being hired "on the spot" by the plant manager, Robert "Bob" Tiffin. Bob was also separated from his first wife, and had 5 children of his own, Deborah, Roberta, David, Rebecca, and Victoria. After working together a couple of years, a romance developed between Bob and Dot, and on August 7, 1971, they married. Dot welcome her new step-children into her life, and all of the kids spent time living with Bob and Dot through the years.
In the mid-70s, Dot joined the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority in Omaha, and was an active member for 20 years, where she and Bob made many great friends and had many wonderful social gatherings.
Dot loved being around people and attending live performances, so she jumped at the chance to become a volunteer usher in the late 1970s. She loved this work so much she continued to volunteer for over 30 years, well up into her 80s. Over those 30 years, she became a fixture at nearly every big event hosted in Omaha, including events at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, the Orpheum, the Omaha Playhouse, and sporting events at Rosenblatt Stadium and Creighton basketball. It was rare to attend any sort of concert or event without running into Dot. She also roped her family into ushering with her often, buying tickets for the grandchildren and making the adults volunteer with her.
Dorothy loved hosting holidays and other events, always welcoming family and friends into her home. Nearly every family summer event hosted by Dot included a spirited game of volleyball, followed by the serving of Dot's favorite drink, Margaritas.
She was known by many of the kids' friends as a "surrogate mom," and her home was always the gathering place for friends and family. She was blessed with many grandchildren, and she loved her grandchildren dearly, often having sleepovers at her house and attending as many of their sporting events and activities as she could.
Dot passed away peacefully at a nursing home on January 17, 2022. She is survived by husband Bob Tiffin, sister Louise Foster, son and daughter-in-law Rick and Charlotte Nelson, step-daughters Deborah Tiffin-Cass, Rebecca Tiffin, and Victoria Tiffin, step-son David Tiffin, and many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by parents Ralph and Bea Dingle, daughters Donna Hevelone and Linda Sue Nelson, and step-daughter Roberta Tiffin.
Dot will be greatly missed by her family and the countless friends whose lives she touched through the years, but everyone can be comforted in the knowledge that Dot lived an amazing, rich and full life and is probably looking down on this service from her spot in heaven with a smile on her face and a Margarita in her hand!