Dorothy Messinger

MESSINGER, WILCOX, EASTLAND, RUCHOTZKE, READ

Posted By: Barb Kelley (email)
Date: 12/3/2005 at 09:08:57

The Clinton Herald

Published: December 01, 2005 12:59 pm

Dorothy Messinger

CLINTON - Dorothy Messinger, 86, of Clinton, died Wednesday at her home.

Funeral services will be at noon Tuesday at First United Presbyterian Church, Clinton, where an Order of the Eastern Star service will be conducted. Burial will be at Springdale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Home. There will be an additional visitation from 11 a.m. until the service time Tuesday at the church.

Pallbearers will be Dean Ernst, Ron Hofer, Bob Frazier, Doug Seelye, Harold Welcher and Bob Wright.

She was born April 29, 1919, in Clinton to Warren and Marie Wilcox Eastland. She married Paul Karl Messinger on April 13, 1941, in Clinton. He died in 1984.

She graduated from Clinton High School in 1937.

She was employed with F.W. Woolworth, Clinton, from 1935 to 1937. She was then employed with the Clinton Herald from 1937 to 1941. She was the women’s editor at the Herald from 1965 to ’67.

She was a member of First United Presbyterian Church, Clinton, where she served as an elder, deaconess, Sunday school teacher, chairwoman of the Sarah Circle and Presbyterian Women. She was a member and past matron and secretary of Clinton Chapter 65, Order of the Eastern Star, and served the Iowa Grand Chapter OES as district instructor, grand chaplain and worthy grand matron. She also served as a General Grand Chapter member and special friend of the most worthy grand matron. She was past president of the Past Matrons Electa Club, Clinton, and Clinton County Past Matrons Club. She was a past worthy adviser and mother adviser of the Clinton Assembly, Order of Rainbow for Girls, and served as grand charity and grand executive for the Iowa Grand Assembly. She was a master of the Rainbow Cross of Colors. She was president of the Horace Mann PTA, Clinton City Council PTA and a Girl Scout leader for many years.

Survivors include one daughter, Janet (Edwin) Ruchotzke of Delmar; one son, David Paul (Sharon) Messinger of Denver, Colo.; one half brother, Charles (Helen) Read of Madison, Wis.; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be made to ESTARL, Clinton Chapter 65 Order of the Eastern Star, First United Presbyterian Church and the OES Boone Home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, two brothers, two sisters and her parents.

Death Date: Nov. 30, 2005