Dorothy Welper
Dorothy L. Welper, 91, of Waukon, formerly of Dorchester, died Friday, February 21, 2020 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, February 25 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial was at St. Mary’s Cemetery, rural Dorchester.
Dorothy Lucille Welper was born August 2, 1928 in Waukon, the daughter of Joe and Julia (Blake) Mauss. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Lycurgus Catholic Church in rural Waukon. Dorothy attended Clear Creek Country School, graduated from St. Patrick High School in 1946 and received her teaching certificate from the University of Dubuque in Dubuque.
June 14, 1948, she married Merle Welper at St. Mary’s Lycurgus Catholic Church. They lived in the Dorchester area and Dorothy taught in country schools for 10 years and did some substitute teaching for Allamakee Schools, which allowed her to stay home with her children while they were growing up.
Dorothy was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester, where she was active with the rosary society, was a past director of CCD, and also taught CCD. She enjoyed playing cards, putting jigsaw puzzles together, sewing, quilting, crocheting, watching Iowa Hawkeye basketball and spending time with her family.
Survivors include her children: Mary Lou (Doug) Heeren of Winfield, TX, Cathy (Don) Baxter of Waukon, Jim (Fran) Welper of Rochester, MN, Judy (Gary) Moellers of Ossian, Deb Bouska of Decorah and Duane (Lorina) Welper of Mantorville, MN; 15 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; four sisters: Joan Welper of Rozet, WY, Shirley (Harold) Colsch of Waukon, Bernadette Becker of Lansing and Maureen (Orville) Strothman of Anoka, MN; and two brothers: John (Mary Lou) Mauss of Dubuque and Jim (Carol) Mauss of La Crescent, MN.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Merle, who died in 1996; three sisters: Sr. Mary Bernard, Betty Burke and Kathleen Becker; and four brothers-in-law: Harold Welper, Aloysius Becker, Ray Burke and Joe Becker.
Casketbearers were Stephanie Halberstadt, Brea Baxter, Blake Welper, Milan Grubl, Ryan Bouska, Brynna Welper and Jay Colsch. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
