In Memory of Dorothy Schattschneider ’42
Dorothy Schattschneider answered the call to come home on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Ripon Medical Center after several years of much loving care and concern from relatives and friends.
On the cold and blizzardy Sunday morning of February 6, 1921, Dorothy’s father walked the railroad track into Ripon to secure the assistance of Dr. Christian Senn and his 15 year old nurse, Margaret Welk (Senn) to assist him, Victor Boers and wife, Antolena (Buetow) Boers in Dorothy’s birth, at the family farm on Locust Road. Dorothy attended Loper School, Longfellow School, and the Ripon Secondary Schools, graduating with honors in 1938. With the assistance of the annual AAUW and Ripon College Competitive Academic Scholarships, she attended Ripon College and graduated with a B.S. degree from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and an M.S. degree from UW-Madison. She was honored with election to Pi Lambda Theta and Delta Kappa Gamma, both International Honor societies for Women in Education.
Dorothy began her 45 years of teaching, in Green Lake and Fond du Lac County rural schools; followed by Fox Lake Public Schools; Wadsworth, Illinois, Elementary School as the Reading Consultant; and ending her career with 30 years in the Fond du Lac Public Schools- McKinley, Sabish, summer sessions at Theisen and Goodrich, with several evening classes in English Improvement at FdL Vocational and Technical Institute.
There were several firsts involved in Dorothy’s career. She was the first married woman to receive a contract in the FdL School District- heretofore, married women were only granted “Letters of Appointment” which could be terminated at any time for any reason. She initiated the FdL Area Spelling Bee, the annual Spanish Pronunciation Contest, the annual Foreign Language Field Trip to the Milwaukee Folk Fair, the Sabish annual Poetry Contest, the citywide Delta Kappa Gamma Literary Contest, piloted a Sabish Gifted and Talented Project- her students retitled themselves as the T.A.G. Group! She assisted with the school newspaper, yearbook, and forensics program. She served on the FdL District Book Selection Committee (Censorship), a building committee, an Administrative Placement Committee, and as the Sabish English and Foreign Language Department Coordinator.
Dorothy was a member of the Fox Lake Girl Scout Council, the FdL AAUW Association, the Alpha Theta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma of which she was a charter member and served as its secretary and also president for two terms. She assisted with Congressman Steiger’s Campaign Committee. She enjoyed a week of guest lecturing in the Geography Department at UW-Oshkosh, and hosting 15 student teachers from the Education Department of Marian College and UW-Oshkosh. She was currently a member of the FdL Area Retired Educators’ Association and a lifetime member of WEA and NEA.
Lester Laboyeske and Dorothy were married on July 2, 1944, with the Rev. Egon Schieler officiating, at a home ceremony. They lived in homes which they built in North Fond du Lac, Taycheedah, and on Bay Road, Green Lake. They enjoyed golfing, hunting, fishing, and traveling to scenic and historic areas in most of the states, including Hawaii and Alaska, Mexico, Costa Rica, Islands of the Caribbean, Panama, and to visit relatives and “People to People” friends in Germany, Austria, and Denmark. They were charter members of The Green Lake Preservation Society and took great pride in their successful efforts in the sewering of Green Lake and other conservation projects. Dorothy served as the secretary and treasurer of GLPS for 10 years. After 56 years of happily married life together, Lester expired on August 19, 2000.
On January 5, 2002, Carroll Schattschneider, a lifetime friend, and Dorothy were married at Our Saviour’s United Church of Christ in Ripon, with The Revs. Rebecca Johnston and Tom Meyer officiating. They enjoyed retirement in their Green Lake home, memberships in the Ripon Lions Club and The Federated Church of Green Lake, until Carroll’s death on September 19, 2006.
Throughout her lifetime, Dorothy was active in the mission of Our Saviour’s United Church of Christ in Ripon as a Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Department Coordinator, Vacation Church School Director, Scholarship and Pastoral Search Committee Chairs, two terms as Council member- also serving on the executive board and as secretary, and as a member of the Mission Committee. In 2001, she was honored with the Angel Award by the congregation. In 2014, Ripon Lions Club recognized Dorothy, with the highest Lions award given, the Birch Sturm Fellowship Award.
Dorothy is survived by her stepdaughter, Lori (James) Purath and their children Stephanie and Christopher; nieces, Wanda Boers of Ripon, June Smith, and Doris LeViness; nephew, Victor (Audrey) Boers II and their children Jason and Jered of Pine Grove, PA; five godchildren; several dear cousins; and many dear former students and colleagues. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Victor and Antolena (Buetow) Boers; a brother, Lawrence; and nephew, Roger Boers.
A visitation for Dorothy will be held on Friday, September 27, 2019 from 9:00 am- 11:00 am at The Federated Church of Green Lake, 489 Scott St., Green Lake, WI 54941.
A memorial service for Dorothy will be held on Friday, September 27, 2019 at 11:00 am at The Federated Church of Green Lake, with Reverend Karen Gygax Rodriguez and Rev. Dr. Kevin P. Mundell officiating. Inurnment will take place at Hillside Cemetery, City of Ripon, WI. Memorials may be directed to Our Saviour’s United Church of Christ, 343 Scott St., Ripon, WI 54971, The Federated Church of Green Lake, 489 Scott St., Green Lake, WI 54941, and Ripon Lions Club, W13201 Cork St., Ripon, WI 54971. A sincere thank you to the staff of Maplecrest and Ripon Medical Center for their exceptional and compassionate care. Dorothy is “Going Home to Stay!”
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