Douglass - March, Dulcia Virginia,
retired elementary school teacher, age 92, passed away Sunday, December 17, 2017. Visitation 1 -8 pm (family present 6-8 pm) Thursday, December 21, at Smith Family Mortuary, 1415 North Rock Rd., Derby. Graveside service 9:30 am Friday, at Richland Cemetery, Douglass; memorial service 11:30 am Friday, at Northridge Friends Church, 2655 N. Bullinger St., Wichita. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Northridge Friends Church Children's Ministry, 2655 N. Bullinger St., Wichita, KS 67204.

Dulcia Virginia Hershey was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, on June 19, 1925, to James Virgil and Sylvia Spencer Hershey. She was the 6th child of nine. Surviving is one sister, Carolee Hubell of Wichita, Kansas.

Dulcia married Louis S. March on June 7, 1949, and that union lasted until his death in 2010. They have three children, Namely, Dana Jeanae Brown and husband, Galen, of Wichita, Kansas, Louis J March and wife, Nina, of Douglass, Kansas, and Hal Evan March of Arkansas City, Kansas. She greatly loved her grandchildren; Jay (Paula/Jip) Brown, Bryce (Natalie) Brown, Ryan Brown, Kylie Brown, Landon (Darlena) March, Laura March, Aaron (Kaylee) March, and 6 great-grandchildren.

Dulcia showed a great love for young children at a very early age. She started baby sitting at age nine at 10 cents an hour. She saved her money and was able to buy her own wardrobe at the age of eleven. You never saw her clothing on the floor because she knew how many hours were spent to enable her to purchase them.

After graduating from East high school in 1943, she worked for the army air force for two years which enabled her to pay her way through Pittsburg State teacher's college where she earned her teaching certificate.

Dulcia taught kindergarten for four years before quitting to have her children. She waited for the last child to go to school before she pursued her Bachelor of science degree at Friends University. She taught again in the Wichita school district (Park, Caldwell, Ingalls/Spaght, L'Ouverture, and Allen Elementary Schools). Making a total of twenty five years in the teaching field. She was a candidate for the teacher of the year award as well. Dulcia did many special things for her students including incubating baby chicks, cooking an annual fall stew and, with Louis' help, bringing baby twin calves in for the children to see. She took early retirement in 1986 so that she could be on the farm with her husband who had Parkinsons Disease.

After retirement Dulcia missed working with children and their bear hugs so intensely that she began working in the nursery during Sunday school at the Rose Hill Friends church. That wasn't enough involvement for her so she and another friend started a children's church. Dulcia greatly enjoyed both responsibilities for 7 years.

Dulcia liked laughter and entertained her grandchildren with funny stories of happenings growing up and in her teaching experiences. She put these stories in a book so her grandchildren would remember their crazy grandma.

If asked what she felt was her greatest accomplishment in life, he was quick to say that it was being a mother and raising three great children and having the pleasure of seeing their accomplishments in life. She felt blessed to have seven precious grandchildren and six equally precious great-grandchildren who brought her great joy in life. She had an overwhelming love for all.