Doris Jean (Dewey) Bader

Doris Jean (Dewey) Bader, age 80, passed away on August 24, 2026, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Born on June 1, 1946, in Kansas City, Missouri, Doris was the beloved daughter of Donald L. Dewey and Doris N. (Hutchinson) Dewey. As a child, she experienced the unique adventure of living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before returning to the Kansas City area to attend High School. She proudly graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School.

On April 16, 1966, Doris married the love of her life, Larry A. Bader. Together, they shared a beautiful and devoted marriage of 60 years. The couple initially began their lives together in the Kansas City area. After briefly living in Dodge City, Kansas, they returned to Kansas City to continue raising their family. Upon retirement, they moved to enjoy life at the Lake of the Ozarks, but ultimately returned to the Kansas City area for their final years to be close to their deeply cherished family members.

Doris dedicated many years of her life to helping others in the medical industry. She spent several years in various capacities within the field before retiring from Hanger Prosthetics in 2011. Even in retirement, her passion for her work continued, and she worked part-time in medical records at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Doris; her stepmother, Mary (who raised her since early childhood, after her mothers’ passing); her sister, Donna (Mel) Marquardt; her brother, Daniel "Mike"; and her sister, Mary "Kathy".

Her legacy of love lives on through her surviving family. She is survived by her devoted husband, Larry A. Bader. She leaves behind her three children: her son, Phillip T. Bader (Karen); her daughter, Kimberly S. Caler (Sean); and her daughter, Jennifer A. Bethard (Mark). She is also survived by her brothers, Donald "Pat" (Tammy), Dennis (Linda) and her sister, Heather, and many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.

She was the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren: Cody J. Tousey (Rachel), Colton R. Tousey, Jessica N. Huettenmueller (Taylor), Austin R. Bader (Crystal), Robert "Blake" Bethard, Tanner J. Bethard (Taylor), and Brady T. Bethard. Doris was also blessed with seven great-grandchildren: Ommie, Calvin, Ayden, Paisley, Cooper, Tessa, and Oakley.

Doris will be remembered for her kindness, her strength, her unwavering love for her family, and the gentle way she touched the lives of everyone she met. Her legacy lives on in the generations she nurtured and the countless people she helped throughout her career.

A visitation will be held on Monday, August 31, 2026 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home, 14275 S Black Bob Rd, Olathe, KS 66062.

A Life Remembered Gathering will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Walsh’s Corner Cocktails 304 W 85th St, Kansas City, MO 64114.

In lieu of flowers a memorial contribution can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital