Dorothy Jane Welt Haefner

HAEFNER, WELT, PATRICK, LINDAHL, HUFF, ANDERSON, DANCER

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 6/26/2009 at 13:17:08

Dorothy Jane Welt Haefner, 86, of Iowa City died Tuesday, February 13, 2007 at University Hospital in Iowa City following a short illness.

Celebration of Life services will be held 2 pm on Saturday, February 24, 2007 at Trinity Episcopal Church (320 E. College St) with the Reverend Mel Schlachter officiating. A visitation with the family will be held between 5 pm and 8 pm on Friday, February 23, 2007 at the Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service (605 Kirkwood Ave.). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Trinity Episcopal Memorial Fund.

Dorothy Jane Welt was born August 3, 1920 in Iowa City, Iowa, the daughter of Anson Arthur and Dorothy DeFrance Welt. Following graduation from University High School, she received her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. While at University High School, she met John Haefner and they were united in marriage in 1941. They remained united until her death, a total of 66 years of partnership, love, and friendship. Her family includes her husband John, their children: daughter Judy Patrick of Madison, WI; sons John and wife Renee of Laramie, WY; James and wife Alice Lindahl of Logan, UT; Joel and wife Cynthia Huff of Carlock, Il; and Jeremy and wife Maurin Anderson of Colorado Springs, CO. Grandchildren include John Patrick and wife Kris and son Solon; Laura Patrick and husband Jacob Dancer III and son Nathan; Kyle Haefner and wife Beth; Christopher, Corey, Carter, and Conner Haefner; Alyssa and Leigh Huff; and Nicholas and Ramsey Haefner. A surviving brother, Donald Welt, resides in Rochester, NY. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother William Welt.

She was an avid homemaker and loving wife, having raised a large and active family. She was adored by her 11 grandchildren who called her “Meme.” Dorothy loved baking, canning, weaving, sewing, knitting, and gardening. Together with husband John, they purchased and remodeled a cabin in Perch Lake, MN where they loved to vacation with the family every summer since 1972. In early days, the family took long summer vacations in the Western states to Oregon, Wyoming, and South Dakota. At Perch Lake, she looked after her visiting children and grandchildren as they water skied behind the big green ski boat; and she was always listening for the haunting call of a Loon as the sun set on the lake. In her own way, she helped sustain the ecosystem of Perch Lake by collecting and re-seeding lupins and blueberries on their property and had a longstanding award for anyone who found a hummingbird nest. Other passions included making blueberry jam, canning spiced peaches, baking pies, delivering homemade Christmas Stollen to friends, and taking the family dogs for walks. She was an avid dog-lover, having owned miniature poodles, Irish water spaniels, kerry blue terriers, and border terriers; her current dog, Tigger, is a continual terror to local chipmunks.

As a life long member of Trinity Episcopal Church, she served the Altar Guild for many years. She volunteered for Iowa City Hospice and comforted many patients in their homes. With her husband John, Dorothy instilled a love of teaching in their children and all five have had careers in the teaching field. In the end, her family was her life, and Dorothy’s life continues on in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.