Dortha Strack

Dortha Jane Strack, 86, of Cape Girardeau passed away Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, at Chateau Girardeau.

Dortha was born Dec. 16, 1931, in Cape Girardeau to Earl and Evelyn Hawn Sachse. After her father died, her mother was remarried to Adolph Borgfield, who became her adoptive father.

Dortha was a 1949 graduate of Jackson High School. She and Harold A. Strack were married June 2, 1957, and resided on the family farm on Route W their entire married lives.

Dortha was an active lifelong member of Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, where she served as a Sunday-school teacher and rang the church bell Sunday mornings. She was a 65-year member of the Kage (FCE) Homemakers Club, and was a longtime election official in the Hanover Precinct. She was employed at Sunny Hill Garden Center for 45-plus years, where she was in charge of packaging seed, assisting in sales and provided gardening advice on the store's sponsored radio show.

In 2017, Dortha was recognized for 55 years of 4-H service. She was the longtime director of 4-H exhibits at the Southeast Missouri District Fair, creator of Dortha's Camp for Clover Kids and was inducted as the first member of the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame. These were just a sprinkling of her many 4-H accomplishments.

Dortha was survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Alan and Lisa Strack of Apopka, Florida, Jay and Nancy Strack of San Antonio, Texas, and Jo Wayne and Bonnie Strack of Shawneetown, Missouri; five grandchildren, Nicole, Andrew, Ashley, Belinda and Anthony Strack; her sister, Jo Anna Peek; nieces and nephews, Sandy and Kandy Peek, Tammy Slinkard, Vicky Kerby and Jeffrey Strack; and many neighbors and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson and from 9 a.m. to service time Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with the Rev. Eric Schmidt officiating. Burial will follow at Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Grace United Methodist Church or to Cape Girardeau 4-H Council Building Fund to be used to build a 4-H livestock barn on the SEMO District Fairgrounds.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.