Obituary of Dorothea Ruth Koerner

Dorothea R. Koerner, or Tudy, as she was called by many, was born on March 24th, 1926 in Elmhurst, Illinois, to her parents, Rudolph John and Frieda Anna (nee Poske) Kurz. She lived in Wellington, Kansas until the age of 11. From there she moved to Holland, Indiana and then finally to Owosso, Michigan where she graduated from Owosso High School. On June 25, 1944, she married Kent Koerner, also of Owosso, who was serving as a Sergeant in the United States Army. Kent and Tudy welcomed two beautiful daughters into the world, raising them in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they had moved. Tudy was the founder and first president of the Condon School PTA. She also worked tirelessly, along with seven other mothers, to raise money to have Cerebral Palsy added to be a part of the United Way. She was a life-long member of Beta Sigma Phi International, which is a non-academic sorority with over 200,000 members around the world. Together they have donated over $1 million to medical research. She wrote in her own words, to be added to her obituary, “family was her life.”

Dorothea passed away on Wednesday, July 10th at the age of 93. She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Kent Koerner. She leaves behind her daughters, Barbara Koerner and Diana (Randy) Gregory, two loving grandchildren, Christopher (Kristen) Gregory and Ashley (Joey) Johnson and four dear great-grandchildren, Raegan, Madison and Carter Gregory, and River Johnson.

Tudy was dearly loved by everyone she met. She was a loving, generous, kind-hearted person who will be greatly missed.

A visitation will be held on Friday, July 19th from 10AM until the time of the memorial service, 11AM at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7701 Kenwood Rd. (45236). Her inurnment will take place at Hopewell Cemetery in Montgomery. If desired, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where Tudy was a member.

Below is a poem that meant a lot to Tudy.

The family wanted to share it with you all.

These Are My Wishes for You

May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always understand.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch, and a warm smile be yours every day of your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them.

May you find time in each day to see beauty and love in the world around you.

May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself, and not be dependent on another’s judgment of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

~Sandra Sturt