Dorothe Robbins, age 97, of Estelline and formerly of White, passed away Saturday, October 27, 2018, at the Estelline Care Center in Estelline, SD. Visitations will be 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2018, at Zion Lutheran Church in White, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 2, 2018, also at the church with burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery. Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.

Dorothe Anne (Dubbe) Robbins was born on October 21, 1921, in Humboldt, South Dakota, the 8th child of Emil and Dora (Ehrich) Dubbe. She had 10 siblings, so there were plenty of playmates growing up.

Dorothe attended school in Humboldt, and graduated in 1939. From the fall of 1941, until the spring of 1943, she attended South Dakota State College, where she met Lloyd Robbins, an agriculture production major. Following his graduation, they were married on June 6, 1943, one year before D-Day. They lived their entire married life on a farm 3 miles southwest of White, South Dakota. Dorothe had the usual chores of raising chickens, running the house, planting a big garden, cooking, cleaning, and helping out the neighbors when needed. Lloyd and Dorothe had five children-4 boys and one girl. David, Rick, Steve, Janet, and Mark.

Dorothe's two loves were flowers and music. She played, "Away in a Manger," on Christmas Eve as a preschooler. When she was 14, she started playing the organ at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Humboldt. She was still playing organ 70 years later at Zion Lutheran Church in White. In 2009, she received the Volunteer of the Year award from the South Dakota Health Care Association for playing the piano for weekly sing-alongs and devotions for 35 years at the White Care Center in White, South Dakota. Dorothe's love of flowers and all things green and growing was quite evident in the lovely gardens around her home and her flowering house plants. One of her grandchildren once commented, "Grandma, you could get a stick to grow!" She probably could!

Dorothe also loved having her family around, and especially having her children and grandchildren come home. There was always plenty to eat, and she never wanted anyone to go away hungry-and they never did. There was always something for a "little lunch"-which was actually a full meal!

Dorothe was also active in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League at the church in White, and held many positions in that organization and at the church. She led many Friendship Bible Coffee Bible studies in her home throughout the years, and taught various Sunday school and Bible Classes. Crocheting and knitting were two past times that Dorothe also shared with others. Besides making hundreds of beautiful doilies, she made a baby afghan for each of her grandchildren when they were born as well as an afghan when they graduated from high school. This kept her busy, as she had 17 grandchildren-9 boys and 8 girls-and 32 great-grandchildren -16 boys and 16 girls. She carried on this tradition with her great-grandchildren until her fingers were unable to work as they should.

Lloyd passed away in November of 2005, and Dorothe remained on the farm until 2009, when she moved to an apartment in Brookings. Following heart and hip surgery, Dorothe moved into Stoney Brook Assisted Living. She enjoyed being there until January of 2016, when she moved to the Estelline Care Center. She was thankful to be in a loving, caring facility with beautiful grounds, good food, fun activities, and people who treated her like family. She truly loved the entire staff.

Dorothe is survived by her five children: David (Carolyn) Robbins of Gaylord, MN, Richard (Arlene) Robbins of Wheatland, WY, Steven (Peggy) Robbins of Eldora, IA, Janet (Tim) Larson of Pierre, SD, and Mark (Brenda) Robbins of Beulah, WY; 8 grandsons; 8 granddaughters; 16 great-grandsons; 16 great-granddaughters; sister Lillian Stofferahn; brothers: Don Dubbe and Bob (Nona) Dubbe; sister-in-law Viola Robbins; numerous nieces and nephews; and life-long friend, Lavon Waldner.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd; her parents; 4 brothers: Clarence, Lawrence, Elmer, and Bud; 3 sisters: Emily, Mabel, and Marie; brothers-in-law: Darrell Robbins, and Melvin Robbins; and grandson, Zane Robbins.