She broke ground in a man’s world. She knew the insurance industry inside and out. She insisted on working every day, even at age 94.

And Dorothy Auten was always a lady.

“She had lovely manners. I never heard her say a cross word,” said Dorothy Barnthouse, Mrs. Auten’s great niece and goddaughter who was named after her.

Mrs. Auten went to work for John McGee Insurance Agency when she graduated from business school in 1932. The agency itself dates back to 1900 and was one of the original occupants of the Kirkpatrick Building, located at Seventh and Francis streets.

Mrs. Auten died July 19 at the age of 94, bringing an end to one of the longest careers in St. Joseph history. She began as an office girl, then became an agent and eventually bought the business.

“She was not going to change the name of the agency,” Mrs. Barnthouse remembers.

A stickler for tradition, Mrs. Auten also kept the original furnishings. She never used a computer, but kept on top of the industry.

“She knew everything, the most up to the minute stuff,” said Norman Marion, a family friend.

Mrs. Auten had called him just a few weeks ago with a hunch that a client had been trying to mislead her about a new brand of pickup. Few people ever got away with that. Mrs. Auten was known for honesty and integrity and as an agent that clients could trust.

“With 75 years of experience, what was there to worry about?” Mr. Marion said.

He became acquainted with her years ago when his sister-in-law recommended he call her Aunt Dorothy to get insurance help.

“I’ve been telling people ever since to call Aunt Dorothy,” he said.

Mrs. Auten never breathed a word about her clients and kept private about her personal life. She married Buford Auten in 1942. The couple did not have any children, but doted on their nieces and nephews.

She was widowed in 1970, but Mrs. Auten maintained her own home and drove a silver Lincoln to work each day, wearing a Pendleton suit, nylons and high heels.

“She went back to a time when there was no business casual. She was dressed up and ready to go to work every day,” said Keith Miller, who had a partnership with Mrs. Auten’s agency and will take ownership.

On her 90th birthday, Mrs. Auten stayed up until 2 a.m. and continued to work at her Downtown office until just a few days before her death.

“She was a lovely person,” Mrs. Barnthouse said. “She was just wonderful.”

Susan Mires can be reached

at susanm@npgco.com.