Dorothy Dilley

Dorothy Benson Dilley, 76, died Monday, February 26, at Iowa Lutheran Hospital. Her funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 2, 2007, at Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, E. 5th and Des Moines Street. Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street from 5 to 8 p.m. Interment will follow the funeral services at Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Dorothy was born on February 22, 1931, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Reverend Arthur G. and Ellen Carlson Benson. Her father was the pastor of Wataga Lutheran Church in Wataga, Illnois. Dorothy graduated from Wataga High School and attended Augustana College. She was married to Robert Dilley of Galesburg, Illinois, on September 11, 1949. They moved to Des Moines in 1950 and founded Dilley Manufacturing Company.
Dorothy was involved in church activities and enjoyed volunteering at both Luther Park and Valley View Village. Dorothy found great pleasure in writing and editing. In 1976 she authored a book titled, You Always Win. Dorothy published the Women for Constitutional Government’s monthly newsletter and edited The American News Analyst. Dorothy stayed connected to relatives on both coasts as she began to collect records, documents and photographs chronicling the arrival of her Swedish ancestors in America. In 1989 she published a family history book titled The Trail of Yesteryear.
Dorothy was a positive influence as a wife, mother and grandmother. Survivors include her husband of 57 years, Robert; daughter, Deborah (Kevin) Flagg of West Des Moines and their children, Elyse, Jennifer and Amy; daughter, Mary Hardenbrook and her daughter, Holly; son, David Dilley of Des Moines and his son, Devon of of Corpus Christi, Texas. Dorothy is also survived by her twin brothers, Roy (Margaret) Benson of Omaha, Nebraska and Rev. Paul (Terry) Benson of Phoenix, Arizona.
Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be directed to Capitol Hill Lutheran Church or Hope Ministries.

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