Dorothie French Seymour was born May 29, 1928 to Clifford and Amy Bell French in Salisbury, Missouri. As the daughter of a Methodist pastor, she spent her early years living in six towns. Those formative years helped develop a life-long sensitivity for newcomers.
She began 8th grade in Fairfax where she caught the eye of a local farmer’s son. She graduated from Cameron high school. On July 6, 1947, after one year at Central Methodist college, she married that farmer’s son, Dale Seymour, and happily settled into farm life.
Anyone who got to know Pat discovered a remarkably loving person. It only took about a minute for a stranger to be transformed into a friend in her presence. There were many such transformations in her 97 years.
She was exceptionally positive and never spoke ill of anyone. Her many interests and talents included pewter work and jewelry making; carding, spinning and knitting wool; sewing, painting, swimming, gardening and landscaping; building a treehouse for her grandchildren.
She was always curious and a lifetime learner. Almost anything interested her. She enjoyed keeping up with current events and studying maps. She taped quotes and affirmations on her walls. She collected and shared memes before the internet took over that job.
Her many roles included Sunday school teacher, choir director, 4-H leader, Welcome Wagon greeter, and PEO member, and brick layer (just ask).
Pat learned to enjoy Dale’s hobby of showing horses and eventually rode over 8000 judged miles in competitive trail riding in 17 states on five Arabians and two mules.
She loved being a tag along (her term) in Lane and Aimée’s activities. These included Ranger rides on the farm, TV time watching Andre Rieu concerts, America’s Got Talent, nature shows, and the Waltons. She loved chocolate, Donnovan Jones’s music, walking outside, swinging on the porch swing, attending church, and listening to Family Radio.
She was a member of the Fairfax Presbyterian Church and attended Christian Fellowship Church in Mound City in her later years.
Pat loved her Lord, people, and music and she thought life was a grand adventure!
She passed away peacefully at Methodist Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday, January 8th, 2026.
Dorothie was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Dale Seymour and later husband Ed Byers; sisters Lillian Armbruster and Medora French; niece Dorothie “Robin” Armbruster.
Dorothie is survived by son, Lane (Aimée) Seymour of Fairfax, daughter, Gale Shaw of Oviedo, Florida; 6 grandchildren: Amber (Joel) Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Kaitlin (David) Roberson, Highland Village, Texas; Emily (Sam) Yoo, Columbia, Missouri; Ashley Moore, Oviedo, Florida; Logan (Ashley) Shaw, Reno, Nevada; Gretchen Bergstrand, Bluffton, Ohio; great-grandchildren: Isaiah, Sam Roberts; Ethan, Avi, Emmett, Olive Roberson; Wesley, Leo Yoo; Lillian, Bennett Moore; Isabelle, Isaac Shaw; Nova, Ellis Bergstrand; sister-in-law Rosalee Seymour, nephews and many friends.
Dorothie’s body has been cremated under the care of the Schooler Funeral Home. Memorial services will be held at 11 AM, Saturday, January 17, 2026 at the Christian Fellowship Church, Mound City, Missouri, where the family will receive friends beginning at 10 AM until service time. A private family inurnment will be held in the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Fairfax, Missouri.
Memorials: For God’s Children International (www.fgci.org) or the Christian Fellowship Church, Mound City, Missouri.
Arrangements: Schooler Funeral Home Fairfax/Craig
