Dora Y. Wiedholz

Our Mom “Dora”, passed away on December 26, 2022. She was an exceptional woman that was loved dearly and will be sorely missed. She met every day with strength and determination. Her tough, witty and fiercely independent attitude endeared her to everyone.

Dora was born on June 1, 1942, in Fabens, Texas to Pascual Yglesias and Petra Jimenez. The family moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico where she graduated from Las Cruces High School.

In 1959, through a blind date and while still in high school, she met her future husband Erich Wiedholz, who was employed at the White Sands Missile range in New Mexico, whom she wed in 1960. Shortly after their marriage they made the bold decision to accept a job offer and move to the Gem State. This was a dramatic change for them both and required a lot of adjusting, but this is where she would live for the remainder of her life.

At the urging of her husband, who stressed that an education was a pathway to a more solid future and the one thing that no one can take away, she enrolled at Idaho State University, where she found her passion for teaching others. During this period, Dora split her time between child rearing, studying and working part-time.

Despite living through a time where the women’s movement was non-existent, she never let that limit her or her passion for pursuing additional education and then giving that love of knowledge back to those underprivileged communities and students who needed it most. Dora always wanted the best for her students; she was not afraid to stand up for them.

She spent several decades as a full-time teacher in American Falls, Idaho. Dora was fluent in Spanish and spent many years as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. She had a soft spot for migrant children who were struggling in school and helped them master the English language. Her Master’s degree in Exceptional Children also allowed her to work with special education students. She could never sit still, and she spent much of her free time as an Idaho Class ‘D’ skills tester in American Falls. After retirement, she continued to substitute teach in both Pocatello and American Falls until finally stopping in 2019.

Dora met every single day with optimism and determination until Erich’s death in 1994, and her son, Hans’s death in 1993, which left a great void in Dora’s heart. She nevertheless continued to live a full, rich, and active life for the next twenty-five years. She loved to learn and would audit numerous classes through ISU’s Continuing Education Program where she especially liked the Citizens Law Academy. Everything Dora did, from academics to adventure, to travel, to fun, Dora did spontaneously with the people she loved.

Her spirit lives on through her children Johanna Fletcher (Jerry) and Michael Wiedholz (Diana); her grandchildren: Katie Pierce, Evan Wiedholz, Anna Wiedholz, and Abby Duckworth; as well as many others: a loving aunt, an uncle, cousins, and dear friends made over nearly fifty years.

In the springtime a graveside service will be held at the Neely Cemetery in American Falls, Idaho where she will be reunited with members of her loving family who preceded her in death: husband Erich, son Hans, and mother Petra Jimenez. 

To everyone that loved and cared for Dora, we're throwing an informal celebration of life to honor her memory. We hope you'll come to eat, drink, laugh, and cry with us.

It will be held on Friday, April 28, 2023 from 4:00 to 9:00 pm at the Red Lion Hotel, 1555 Pocatello Creek Rd. Pocatello, ID. There will be a limited amount of food and drinks and lots of opportunities to share your favorite memories.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) or the National Wildlife Foundation.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family under the Tribute Wall tab above.