Dorothy B. Oertel

Dorothy B. Oertel, 91, of Mason City, died Sunday, November 15, 2009 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Memorial services will be held 10:30 AM Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Kathy Graves officiating. Dorothys body has been willed to the University of Iowa Department of Anatomy. Inurnment will take place in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery at a later date. The family will greet friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church Youth, Diabetes Association, or Hospice of North Iowa. Dorothy was born May 11, 1918 in Burlington, Iowa the daughter of Rev. John H. and Cora (Gungoll) Buescher. She graduated from Burlington High School in 1935. She received her BA degree from the University of Iowa in 1939. Following graduation, Dorothy worked for the Des Moines County Social Administration. Dorothy married William F. Oertel August 4, 1940 in Burlington. The couple moved to Greenfield, Iowa where Bill was a teacher and coach. While her husband served as an instructor for the US Army, they resided in Champaign, Illinois. Bill then enlisted in the US Navy and they lived in Hollywood, Florida, and Norman, Oklahoma. Dorothy and Bill moved to Mason City in 1946. She served as a corporate officer and worked at the family owned Nehi-Royal Crown Bottling Company from 1946-1969. Dorothy earned her real estate license and sold real estate for a few years. Dorothy was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Gods Squad at Trinity, church circle Gamma Phi Beta, TTT, PEO chapter IW where she was past president, Occident Womens Club, past board member at the YWCA and served as a Cub Scout Den Mother, and Brownie and Girl Scout Leader.



Dorothy is survived by her children, William Oertel Jr. and wife Mary Lynn of Mason City, John Oertel and wife Mary of Mason City, and Susan Oertel of Mason City; grandchildren, Julia Deets and husband Christopher, Paul Oertel, Katie Lynn Oertel, Kara Kruse, and Teresa Oertel Court and husband Adam; great grandchildren, Cassandra Kruse, Andrew Deets, Anna Deets, Jacob Kruse, Alex Deets, and Katie Rose Sunshine Court; nieces and nephews, Clifford Lawton, Karen Fleming, Steven Buescher, and Wanda Kimler.



Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, brother, 2 sisters, granddaughter, Katie Lynn Oertel, and husband William F. Oertel Sr.