Dr. Dorothy A. Schwieder (1933-2014)

SCHWEIDER, RISIUS, DENING

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/16/2014 at 09:01:26

Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.

Obituary for Dorothy A. Schwieder
Former Iowa State University history professor Dr. Dorothy Schwieder passed away at her home in Ames on August 13, 2014, following a courageous battle against lymphoma. She was 80.

Her near-fifty year academic career saw her become an authority in the field of Iowa history. Along with dozens of book chapters, scholarly articles, and encyclopedia entries, she authored, co-authored, or co-edited nine books, including a monograph on Iowa’s Old Order Amish, an elementary and middle-school Iowa history text, a popular Iowa history book, and the sesquicentennial history of Iowa State University. Dorothy was an accomplished teacher, and she had a long record of public service. She gave presentations in every corner of Iowa, assisted many people with their history projects, and helped Iowans to understand and appreciate their state with media appearances, consulting, and a radio show on WOI.

Her efforts and dedication were recognized with numerous awards, including Iowa’s first Lifetime Service to the Public Humanities award, the 2008 Peterson-Harlan Award for significant or continuing contributions to Iowa history, and a speaker’s series established in her name at Des Moines Area Community College. Iowa State University named her a University Professor in 1997. In 2012 she was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 2013, the Iowa State history department named a seminar room in her honor.

Dorothy lived a long and full life. The social history focus of her career provided the opportunity to meet the Amish, ISU students and faculty who successfully lobbied for “Jack Trice Stadium,” farm women, coal miners, and many other wonderful and interesting people. She enjoyed the gifts of living in Iowa, and Ames. But most of all, Dorothy was a caring wife, especially following her husband Elmer’s serious stroke, a giving, loving mother, and a doting grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her husband, and is survived by daughter Diane Risius, son-in-law Lyle Risius, grand-daughter Mary Dening and her husband Dave Dening, grand-daughter Elizabeth Risius, and son David Schwieder. Services are 11:00, Monday, August 18 at Collegiate Methodist Church in Ames. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the George and Eleanor McGovern Library at Dakota Wesleyan University www.dwu.edu

This complete obituary will be published in the Saturday, August 16 editions of the Ames Tribune and The Des Moines Register.

http://www.adamssoderstrum.com/
 

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