Dolores Ann Anstett

Dolores Ann Anstett, 85, went to be with the Lord on October 3, 2022. She passed peacefully in her home with family by her side.

Dolores was born July 22, 1937, in Elgin, NE to Frank and Ruth Thoendel, of Chadron, NE.  Her beloved siblings include Joan Duryea (deceased), Virginia Sides, Frank Thoendel and Ken Thoendel. She married her high school sweetheart, Carl Anstett (deceased), in 1958 they moved to Wiesbaden, Germany where they had their two daughters, Deborah Vollmar (husband Brad) and Sonna Caves (husband Jeff). She adored her grandchildren: Hunter Horsfall (and fiancé Drenna Akers), Britta Horsfall, Huck Vollmar, Breanna Eades, Matt Caves & Corey Caves. She loved her delightful great-grandchildren, as well as her “Horsfall Boys,” Lane, Finn, and Blaise Horsfall.

Dolores's life was well-lived; she exemplified Agape love, a giving spirit and profound gentleness.

In her early life, she studied at Chadron State College in NE and later acquired her Masters in Early Childhood Education from Leslie College before she began a deeply fulfilling career as an Early Childhood Educator. As a military wife Dolores happily moved many times. Her favorite remained the years spent on the North Hawaii where the family had and extended tour during the 1960's. While there, she directed a preschool at Pearl Harbor.

The Dolores that will live in her family’s memories is the one that played with her girls in the sun and the sand at Waikiki Beach with plenty of tanning oil. In 1970 the family moved to Colorado Springs where she bought her forever home. It was then that she began her 30-year journey of educating teachers at Pikes Peak College. She lived her life as an independent woman with strong faith which was evident in the way she encouraged, supported and gave of herself to others.

Most, affectionately knew Dolores as “Grandma Dee.” She was a tender and creatively motivated grandmother. Urging all children near her to explore and learn through play and discovery, Grandma Dee was an instant best friend to many, especially children.

Dolores was marked with generosity and a mindset of abundance. She was constantly slipping $20 bills into the pockets of her grandchildren, making brownies and Kalua for anyone else she could find with a sweet tooth, and donating dozens of curated Christmas gift-boxes to her favorite organization, One Nation, year after year.

Highlights of her later life were family reunions in the Black Hills, seeing colors change during the Autumn when visiting Sonna and Jeff in Wisconsin, the occasional trip to nearby hot springs, and five years of weekly visits with her favorite Physical Therapist, Daniel Mulligan. She joyfully celebrated her family and friend’s myriad of successes. She loved patronizing her grandson Hunters coffee shop and bar in Fort Collins, CO. Watching Huck play football for the CSU Rams was truly thrilling for her. She was also moved by seeing Britta host her first art show and start a business. Her love of her grandkid’s entrepreneurial spirit was unwavering. Her pride in her people went deep.

With her downtime, she was truly invested in quilting with each of her daughters. However, if the sun was shining, Dolores would be found on the back deck, tanning and listening to audiobooks with her “Palm Springs” visor on, or chatting on the phone with her beloved sister, Virginia or best friend, Mary Wilson.

Any donations made in Dolores’ honor can be made to Compassus at https://www.compassus.com/about-us/giving-and-donations as they took truly beautiful care of her toward the end of her profound life.

Dolores's family will have a small family gathering come Summer 2023. Then she will have her remains placed at Memorial Gardens in Divide, Colorado. Her loving kindness will be greatly missed.

The family looks forward to reading your memories of Dolores, as well as the impact she had on you. These can be left by clicking on "Tribute Wall" above.

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