Dorothy Mae Hynes

Our beloved Mom and Nana, Dorothy Mae (Kelly) Hynes, Lakewood, Colorado, peacefully passed away Friday evening, December 8, 2023. She was 95 years young.
Mom was proud to be born on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1928 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin to Edmund James Kelly and Helen Christine (Koller) Kelly. She was the third of four children and was raised in a loving, close-knit family enjoying a fun childhood. She attended St. Joseph Cathedral grade school before graduating from Aquinas High School in 1945. At the age of 17 she went off to Milwaukee to attend Marquette University. She often liked to say how she lived in a women's boarding house to save money. Mom received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing on January 31, 1950 and worked in area hospitals until January, 1953 when, driving her 1949 Chevrolet, she and two nursing school friends decided to take off west and see what Denver had to offer. Mom immediately secured a job at General Rose Hospital and lived with several nurses in a rented home close to the campus.
Later that spring, while attending a wedding, she met the love of her life, Bernard James "Jim" Hynes. On their first date, she left her rosary in his car and he promptly returned it to her. Afterwards, he immediately told his friends, "I'm going to marry that girl." And that is exactly what happened. They married in Denver on February 20, 1954. Eight children followed in nine years. Mom was a dedicated wife and mother, truly feeling that was her vocation in life. She cooked, cleaned, did laundry, took us to so many little league baseball games and school events, and of course made sure we attended weekly mass and catechism classes throughout high school. Our parish was St. Anthony of Padua in Denver, and Mom was a faithful volunteer for years.
Mom was a homemaker for over twenty years. In 1977, she enrolled in Red Rocks Community College and successfully completed a nursing refresher course, enabling her to continue her nursing career working for many years at St. Anthony Central Hospital and local nursing homes. When she officially retired, she traveled with Dad to see family in Minnesota, Nevada, Wisconsin and many other states. She turned 87 while traveling to Germany, Luxembourg and Ireland and was finally able to visit Knock Shrine in County Mayo, a goal of hers for years. Her hobbies included a love of reading, listening to music on her CD player and Word Search. She was the Word Search queen!
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Helen Kelly; three siblings Margaret Ann Raymond (Charlie), Edmund John Kelly (Leatrice), and John Joseph Kelly. Mom has finally joined her husband of 54 years, Jim Hynes; sister-in-law Mary Louise Hynes; beloved first-born Bernadette Clark; very special daughter-in-law Mary (Tompkins) Hynes. She is survived by sister-in-law Lois Kelly, Centerville, OH; seven children, Jim (Marcia) Westminster CO, Theresa Choman (Steve) Sparks, NV, Michele Oberle (Dave) Lakewood, CO, Kathleen Daly (Brian), Lakewood, CO, Tom, Thornton, CO, John (Sheri) Arvada, CO, Patrick (Trudy Boulter) Denver, CO; lifelong family friend and "daughter" Kathleen Lacy (Jim), Littleton, CO. She was Nana to 25 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and Auntie Mae to a multitude of nieces and nephews. She leaves her very best friend from kindergarten, Frannie Smith of LaCrosse Wl.
Services will be Monday, December 18th. Rosary at 9:00 am, followed by Funeral Mass at 9:30 am, both at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 301 S. Sherman St, Denver, CO. Graveside services will be at 11:30 am at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 12801 W. 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO. A reception will be held at Applewood Golf Course, 14001 W. 32nd Ave, Golden CO from 12-4 pm.
Donations in Dorothy Mae Hynes's name can be made to Emmaus Catholic Hospice, 5290 E. Yale Circle, Suite 100, Denver, CO 80222 or GiGi's Playhouse, 610 Garrison St, Unit F, Lakewood, CO 80215.
Mom lived a life of faith, kindness, compassion and grace. She was and is an example to all of us on how to live our lives.