Memories of her from her little brother, Fred Burningham

Your mom and I were very close. We had a wonderful relationship. I
don't remember a whole lot, but here are a few memories:
I somehow remember very vividly when we were 2 or 3 playing together
taking a bath.
The time I cherish most is when I was in a bowling league. I used to
come over to your house every week and visit. We would play with you
kids, talk, laugh and have fun. I'll never forget those times.
Once at a stake dance ((church dance)) there was a girl that kept
asking me to dance with her, but I didn't want to. Back then my
nickname was Smedley Frogaski the third. I told this girl that I was
Smedley Frogaski the third, she didn't believe me. After the dance we
were outside talking to your mom. This girl came up and asked your
mom "do you know his name?" She immediately said "Smedley Frogaski
the third." We laughed about that till she died.
One night your mom and I were going to a stake dance. Your mom had an
outfit that had two skirts. One high on the thigh, and the other down
to her knees. She came out with the short skirt on. I said,
"Dorothy, you can't go to the dance wearing that skirt!." She started
laughing so hard, it was very funny.
We used to tell your mom that her pants were so tight that we could
read the date and the words "In God We Trust" on the coin in her pants.
Gary ((another brother of hers)) used to complain to your mom that she
never called him. She replied "How's your finger, do you have a
phone, is it broken?"
One of my dad's counselors had 3 or 4 kids. We loved when they came
over so we could take care of them. One day La ((Her sister La Wana))
and Dorothy had a fight and your mom locked herself in my dad's den.
To get her to come out we ran out of the house yelling "the Wallace's
are here, the Wallace's are here!" She flung the door open and we
beat her up! Ha ha ha!
Your mom was my best friend. We had lot's of good time together. I
miss her tons!
-Fred Burningham

((clarifications by Nick))

Dorothy Snyder, childhood school photo.

Funnel Cake Recipe, from Wendy Bradshaw (Snyder)

My mom used to make funnel cakes on the weekend.  She didn't make squiggles like you get at the fair, she used a big funnel and made a big spiral then made and X over it to hold it together.  Instead of being 1/4 inch squiggles you got a big thick ... thing.  They were served with powdered sugar dusted on top.  Wendy sent me this recipe:

Nick-

Here is my funnel cake recipe.  I've tried quite a few and this works (and tastes) the best for me.

-Wendolynn

Funnel Cake

3 eggs

¼ cup sugar

2 cups milk

3-4 cups flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Beat the eggs.  Add sugar and milk.  Mix well.  Sift 2 cups of flour together with salt and baking powder.  Add to egg, milk and sugar mixture.  Slowly add more flour until batter is smooth and not too thick.  Fill funnel with batter.  Fry in hot oil, turning over once.  Add toppings and enjoy!   

Goofing with Mr. Moore

Dorothy and Mr. Moore ham it up for the camera at a elementary school field trip to Sea World.

A school photo of Dorothy Jean

"Macaroni Salad," Wendy Bradshaw (Snyder)

Nick-

Here is my first story.  It has been rattling around in my brain for some time.  Thank you for reminding me to write.  This first one is dedicated to food. J

                  I really got to know Aunt Dorothy when I moved to El Cajon in the spring of 1983.  I was nine.  I was lucky enough to live around the corner from her.  Since I only lived around the corner, walking over to see my cousins was an easy thing to do.  I had the unique opportunity to spend time with Aunt Dorothy because Lu and I are the same age.

                Aunt Dorothy opened my eyes to some wonderful culinary delights.  She introduced to me to chocolate filled donuts from the Donut Center.  The donut Center was a great little drive-thru donut shop.  Aunt Dorothy would take me and Lu there after seminary on our way to school.  The first time I tasted chocolate filled donuts, I thought I was in heaven.  I still dream about those donuts. 

Chocolate dipped ice cream cones from Foster’s Freeze were one of Aunt Dorothy’s favorites.  She loved taking us to Foster’s Freeze for dipped cones after we went to the beach.  It was always so nice to have a cool cone while sitting outside Foster’s Freeze in the blazing hot El Cajon summer heat.

I had never tasted a rolled taco until one time Aunt Dorothy told me to try one.  I thought they looked funny, but oh, they tasted good.  Aunt Dorothy would only buy rolled tacos from the Mexican place on Main Street.  I think it had “-erto” in the name somewhere.  Aunt Dorothy also made me try a fantastic microwave snack called a bagel dog.  Who new a bagel and a hot dog combined would taste so yummy?  Apparently, Aunt Dorothy did.

Aunt Dorothy taught me some really neat things about baking and cooking.  She showed me how the use a paper bag to cool cookies if you didn’t have a cooling rack.  I used the paper bag method of cooling baked goodies until I could afford a cooling rack.  I still use a paper bag when I run out of room on my cooling racks.  Once, Aunt Dorothy made rice crispy treats out of a cereal other than rice crispies.  She used a cereal called Triples (no longer made).  At that point in my life, I never knew that you substitute different ingredients for things.  But, Aunt Dorothy showed me that you could.  Triples treats were so good.  She also introduced me to funnel cakes.  I now have learned how to make those.  One of my all time favorite things Aunt Dorothy made was her macaroni salad.  I always loved when she made it.  I have been trying for years to recreate it.

I am pretty sure Aunt Dorothy like to bake, but sometimes she did not like to cook.  Every Christmas Eve we would get together at my house to eat, play games, eat and open presents.  We always had a ton of food.  Well, one year Aunt Dorothy didn’t feel like cooking, so she brought a big box of chicken Mcnuggets to our Christmas Eve celebration.  After that year a tradition was born.  Chicken nuggets were always part of our Christmas Eve feast.  This tradition carried on years after Aunt Dorothy passed away.

Aunt Dorothy certainly made an impression on me.  She always encouraged me to try new foods.  She also showed me how to change things up to make food even better!

-Wendy Bradshaw

"Good News," Wendy Bradshaw (Snyder) "Good News," Wendy Bradshaw (formerly Snyder)

Nicky,

...(Wendy e-mailed that she would send stories tonight.  :-0  I'm so excited!)...

Look for my email tonight!

Love,

Wendol ** Did you know your mom gave me that name? 

"Concieved in a Mortuary," Wally Hartwell

Nick,
Here are a few anecdotes. I hope I can get Frankie to jog the memory & add. Hope this helps. You're going to be a dad? True?


When your mom & dad worked for me at the mortuary, and lived at the mortuary, Dorothy suffered terribly from morning sickness. She was, of course, carrying you. I remarked to her after one of her "woe is me" comments on her condition that "what do you expect? That little bundle you have was conceived in a mortuary!!" Her response was typical Dorothy......."Do you have any idea how quiet it gets around here at night?"


Almost everyone loved Dorothy. I say almost because Dorothy always said EXACTLY what was on her mind. If that meant that it was your turn to hear her tell you that you were out of line or had treated someone improperly, then you had better be prepared to make it right or Dorothy would remind you the next time she saw you. Since she was right 99% of the time, you had to love her for it. Dorothy would dismiss those that couln't handle the heat in the kitchen with her "See if I care" that followed her everywhere.


When your dad found out about Dorothy's final prognosis, he asked me to go with him to tell her that she only had three weeks to live. Dorothy was asleep when we got to the hospital, so we carefully practiced our approach to talk with her for two hours. Wayne had it down pat. When we walked into the room I watched  as Dorothy opened the conversation with "How much time do I have? Wayne's response, "three weeks! " Dorothy's retort....Well, it's been a good ride.....Wally, I want you to do my eulogy, and I want it to be funny. So much for 2 hours of practice!!

Please.

If all of the people that have told me they would send me stories would send me stories I would be inexpressibly happy.