Dorothy Ray (Michel) Baron, a loving wife, mother, Grandma, friend, died on a warm Friday afternoon, July 21, 2023, after a short stay at the Campbell County Memorial Hospital. She was surrounded by her family when she was greeted by Jesus and reunited with her husband Julian, other family members, and friends.
She was born on October 22, 1937 in Rhame, N.D. She, along with her parents and 9 siblings grew up on a ranch south of Marmarth, N.D. The ranch sat on the cliffs near the Little Missouri River. In her early years she was nicknamed “Doby”. She grew up riding a horse to school, often they had to take coal with them to heat the one room school. Her childhood was filled with many adventures traveling the country-side by horse. She learned how to work hard because there were always plenty of chores. Without indoor plumbing and electricity things were a lot harder. She would often tell us, her children and anyone else that was at the house, that we were lucky because our chores were so much easier because we had electricity, hot water, and indoor plumbing.
She graduated from Marmarth High School in 1957. While waitressing at Mert’s café in Marmarth she met and married a roughneck, Julian (Shorty) Baron on June 20, 1957 at the Church of Saint Mary. The first year after marrying Shorty they moved 8 different times. At times they had several different state license plates in the trailer house ready to be changed before they entered another state to stay ahead of the law. They followed the oil rigs around Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming. In 1970 Dorothy decided she had moved enough so the family put down roots in Moorcroft. The next year they bought land south of town and never moved again.
Dorothy was a person who helped those around her without being asked, she noticed a need and would find a way to help. If you lived in Moorcroft, you may have met her on your worst day when you had experienced some mishap or injury. She was one of the founding members of the Moorcroft ambulance service and volunteered as an Emergency Medical Technician. She was an active member of the Moorcroft volunteer EMTs until her death, she continued ordering medications and stocking the ambulances. She had the lowest active EMT number in Wyoming.
Dorothy was a believer in education and service, she made sure that all her children went to college. She would tell us that we all needed to be taxpayers.
In 1988 after Julian’s death, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. She attended Casper College and became a nurse at age 51, often being older, and more experienced (having raised 6 boys and 1 girl) than her instructors. While working at the Crook County Nursing Home she went on to complete her x-ray technician certification. She continued her education and obtained three associate degrees. After retiring from nursing, she continued to take x-rays at the Moorcroft Clinic. A few weeks ago, she was studying to renew her x-ray technician license.
Dorothy was a person of action. In addition to running a trailer court, she always had lots of projects going on at the Moorcroft Senior Center, ambulance barn, or at home taking care of her animals and garden. She volunteered with 4-H, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, the Auxiliary, the schools, Christmas Baskets, and the list goes on and on. She was an avid traveler whether it was an impromptu trip to Rapid City, or one of her many travel adventures across the country, or to foreign lands with her children.
Dorothy is survived by her 7 children, Joseph Baron (wife Tami) children Heath (wife Jillian, their children Willow, Pippa), Skylar; Thomas Baron (wife Mary Jane); Mark Baron (wife Carol) children (Philip, Katharine (husband Ryan, their child Penelope Alexander), Maria, Anne, Jessica, James; Charles Baron (wife Joy) children (Charissa (husband Andrew), Janika; Maylee Baron-Kanode (husband Leon) children (Triston, Kendra); John Baron (wife Renata) children (Nicholas, Magdalene); Patrick Baron (wife Becca) children (Hannah, Rachel); one brother, Lester Michel (wife Sam); numerous nieces and nephews, and all the people who she included as family and friends.
The Baron and Kanode families would like to thank all of you who have given so much support to our mother. We know that she would tell all of you to keep supporting our community and make this corner of the world a better place to be.
Visitation took place from 6:00pm-7:00pm, Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Moorcroft with a Vigil service starting at 7:00pm. Mass of Christian burial took place at 10:00am, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at the church with a luncheon to follow. Burial took place at Black Hills National Cemetery, near Sturgis, SD at 3:00pm. Memorials may to Maylee Baron-Kanode P.O. Box 735 Moorcroft, WY 82721. Indicate one of the following in Memo line: Moorcroft Public Safety Building, or Friends of the Moorcroft Library, or Moorcroft Senior Citizens, or Moorcroft Museum.
Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com