Mar 29, 2026
Dorothy M. Stepper
Dorothy Stepper, 97 of Glasgow, Montana, died Sunday evening, March 15th, 2026, after suffering a stroke while in Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital. Her daughter was at her side as she gained her “angel wings”.
Dorothy was born on May 3rd 1928, to Katherine and Gilbert Sweeting in Wolf Point, Montana. She attended Grand Prairie School (a one-room schoolhouse) and graduated from Wolf Point High School in 1946. She went to beauty school in Minneapolis with her lifelong friend Ruby Elison. They attended beauty school from 8:00 to 5:00 and then worked at an ice cream shop until midnight to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. After she returned to Montana, she worked in a salon and then was able to buy her own beauty salon.
In late 1948, Dorothy met “a tall, handsome man”, Lester Stepper. They were married on April 30th, 1949, in Wolf Point.
In 1954, they moved to Glasgow, where they built their house. They did all the work themselves, even using a wheelbarrow and cement mixer to pour the basement floor. A few years later, children Daniel, Kristy and LeAnn were adopted to make their family complete.
Her life was dedicated to her family. She had a deep Christian faith and was active in her church. She also loved quilting with the church ladies. She volunteered many hours at Valley View, giving perms and cutting hair for its residents.
She was an accomplished seamstress and you could hear her sewing machine humming away many days. She was not afraid of hard work and loved taking classes to learn new skills. She loved playing cards and had a great memory for what had been played. When playing bridge she was a great partner. If you were her opponent – look out.
After Lester retired, they bought a house on Fort Peck Lake, where they enjoyed a peaceful, tranquil life. They were snowbirds in Mesa, AZ during the winters. Dorothy continued going to Mesa through the spring of 2020. In the fall of 2021, she moved into Prairie Ridge in Glasgow and was an independent resident until her death. She continued driving even at 97 years young.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters Kristy (Loren) of Littleton CO and LeAnn Wylie (Clinton) of Cookeville, TN. Grandchildren Sonya Malloy (Mike) of Littleton CO; Nathan Dommer of Littleton CO; Sofia Kambahampati (Geoff) of Hazel Green AL; Elysabeth McCrary (Brandon) of Manchester MO; Brittany Kendrick (Sean) of Signal Mountain TN, and great grandchildren Lillian, Connor, Harrison, Aiden, Maliyah, Michael, Harlyn, McKenzie, and Elijah.
She was preceded in death by her parents Gilbert and Katherine Sweeting, her husband Lester, son Daniel, sister Phyllis Trang and brother Robert Sweeting.
Any memorials may be sent to First Lutheran Church in Glasgow or Fort Peck Lutheran Church in Fort Peck, Montana.
A private burial will take place at Highland Cemetery in Glasgow, MT. https://www.bellmortuarymt.com/
