Dolores M. “Dee” Horton, age 83, of Hayden, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, at Generation Assisted Living, in Rathdrum, Idaho.

Dee was born on May 18, 1936, in McCook, Neb., to John and Dorothy Hesterwerth. Dee was raised in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1953. She attended McCook Community College and graduated with an associate degree in 1955. Dee taught at District 8, in McCook and also in Colby, Kan., before enrolling at Colorado State College, in Greeley, Colo., where she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1958. With her Bachelor of Arts degree she continued her passion for teaching in Colorado Springs as a 2nd-grade teacher.

Several years passed and Dee decided to apply for a teaching position at a U. S. Army base and moved halfway across the world to Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1961. She loved the U. S. military children and her time in Germany. She traveled extensively throughout Europe with many stories she loved to share. Visiting the pyramids of Egypt was one of her favorite destinations and riding a camel was her thrill of a lifetime. While in Germany, she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Horton.

On Jan. 25, 1964, Bob and Dee were married at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in McCook. The young couple started their life together in Bob’s hometown of Hawthorne, Calif., and a couple years later they moved back to McCook to help manage the Hesterwerth family farm. Together they raised three children and worked on the farm. In 1976, Bob and Dee moved their family to Hayden, Idaho, and purchased their dream home. Dee was a homemaker and became a substitute teacher for the Coeur d’Alene School District, where she could balance her passion for education and her family.

Dee was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She adored her grandchildren and they adored her. She leaves many happy memories with her grandchildren, making noodle necklaces and homemade Play-Doh, baking cookies, and making miniature pie crusts and calling them patty cakes. Dee’s grandchildren will cherish these sweet memories.

Dee is survived by her sister, Catherine Hesterwerth of McCook; her son, Michael E. (Holly M.) Horton of Hayden; her daughter, Karen M. Howell of Coeur d’Alene; her son, Robert J. (Jennifer E.) Horton of Rathdrum; nine grandchildren; two great grandchildren and many dear friends.

Reverend Grant MacLean will officiate the service that will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday March 28, 2020, at Yates Funeral Home, 373 E. Hayden Ave., with a reception following. Yates Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements. The family prefers any memorial donation to be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, where all donations go to Alzheimer’s research and finding a cure.

Please visit Dee’s online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.