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Dorothy Marie Schweder
May 17, 1924 - March 1, 2016
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<div itemprop="description">Died peacefully at Fairmount Home, Glenburnie (Kingston) on March 1st 2016. She was well cared for there for six years while Alzheimer's took its toll. She was well loved and will be missed by her family, including daughters, Lyn, Lois and Susan; their respective partners Greg Gaetz, Wahib Habib and Michael Dent; nine grandchildren, Suki, Noah &amp; Emily Gaetz; Katie &amp; Christopher Mellor, Annie McDuffie; Megan Hodge, Aaron &amp; Jeremy Dent; also their partners and Dorothy's great-grandchildren Ethan, Cody, Liam, Olivia, Owen, Daniel, Eleanor, Aiden, Isla, Jonah, Emily and Rowan. Dorothy was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin May 17, 1924, the oldest of three children to William Gurske and Myrtle Larsen and is survived by her brother Robert. She attended River Forest College and after graduating taught Grade 1 at a school in Janesville, Wisconsin. It was at River Forest she met the love of her life, Karl Schweder, while he was attending seminary in St. Louis. Dorothy and Karl were married in Chicago on December 27, 1946 but, in order to do this, he needed special dispensation to marry while still a seminarian. They were already ahead of their time! In 1956 Karl was called to establish the Church of St. Luke Lutheran in Willowdale, Ontario and they arrived there with their three girls in tow. The congregation built a new church and manse in 1960 - Dorothy served as organist and Sunday School teacher. As well as embracing her life as a Pastor's wife and mother, she worked part-time as a dictionary editor with Gage Publishing. She was a voracious reader, gourmet cook (except for Jello) and an avid gardener. With an empty nest in 1978 they moved to a &quot;shack&quot; they had built on the Jones Falls Road; Dorothy became indispensable as an administrator at Queen's Theological College and Karl took on a two-point parish with the United Church. After a second retirement, they joined Sydenham Street United Church, Kingston where they both sang in the choir and Dorothy was Secretary to the congregation. After Karl died in 1995 she moved in with Susan and family; later to Fairmount. Cremation has taken place and the ashes will be scattered around a family memorial tree at St. Luke's. Thanks to the Fairmount staff and Dorothy's friends on 1 North, and to all those who held her in their prayers.<br /><br />A memorial service will be held at Sydenham Street United Church, 82 Sydenham Street, at 11am on Tuesday May 17, 2016. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to the Sydenham Street Benevolence Fund or a charity of your choice would be appreciated.</div>