Dorothy J. Bale

PORTAGE – Dorothy J. Bale, age 95, of Portage, passed away on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at Tivoli in Portage.

Dorothy was born on May 22, 1924 in Madison, WI, the daughter of Roy and Helen (Harrower) Dailey. She grew up in Fennimore, WI.  Dorothy completed high school with a “finals exempt’ status as her school work was straight A’s through the years.  She entered many singing contests and has been awarded many medals.  Dorothy also won a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.  She was a self taught pianist and song writer.  She wrote a hauntingly beautiful song called “I Had a Dream” about her high school sweetheart who was killed in WWII.  She has performed at many weddings and funerals, and has given special church performances.  She was a lyric soprano.  Dorothy had worked in food service at University Hospitals in Madison until her retirement.  She married Arnold Smith and they had two children.  They lived on a farm near Fennimore raising cows, chickens, etc.  Dorothy had driven nine kinds of tractors, the largest being a steam powered “Rumly”.  She was married to Truman Bishop and together they had four children.  Dorothy has been on many road trips, some of which were on a Harley Davidson motorcycle.  She has traveled to Colorado and also went to Las Vegas, NV to see “The Three Tenors”.  Dorothy is a widow of Milo Bale, a well educated world traveler.  She is a cherished person to many.

She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Annette (Harold) Currie, Arlington, and their children, Angela and Adam, Ronald (Ruth) Smith, Sun Prairie, and their children, Dennis and Stephen, Vicki Beyer, Adams, MN, and her son, Mike, Marty (Kathy) Bishop, Arlington, and their children, Kally, Jared and Jake, Trudy Kasprzak, Portage, and her children, Trisha and Trevor, and Bonny Bishop, Adams, MN; seven great-grandchildren;  other relatives and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother in infancy.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at Portage United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Tom Countryman officiating.  Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 19, 2019 in Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison.  Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the church.