Dorothy Schwanke

Dorothy M. Schwanke, age 85 of Sauk Centre, died Sunday, August 9, 2009 at St. Michael's Nursing Home in Sauk Centre.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 13 at Zion Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Marty Porter officiating. Interment will take place in Lakeview Cemetery in Grey Eagle following the service.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and one hour prior to the services Thursday at the church.

Dorothy Warner was born August 17, 1923 in Elrosa, Minnesota. On October 9, 1945 she married Eugene Schwanke at Unity-St. Paul's Lutheran Church in rural Sauk Centre. The couple farmed near Grey Eagle until they retired in 1985 and moved to Sauk Centre. Since May of 2007 she had resided at St. Michael's Nursing Home in Sauk Centre. While living in Grey Eagle, Dorothy was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and the Women's Guild. When the couple moved to Sauk Centre, they became members of Zion Lutheran Church, where Dorothy was a member of the Ladies Aid. In her younger years, Dorothy enjoyed taking care of her home, baking, cooking, gardening, playing cards and old time dancing with her husband. Dorothy has always loved reading the Bible and gathering with friends and family.

Survivors include three children, Diane (Chuck) Seifert of New Hope, David (Betty) Schwanke of Grey Eagle, and Brian Schwanke of Hill City, South Dakota; daughter-in-law, Karen Schwanke, Tacoma, Washington; grandchildren, Heather (Alan) Smythe, Jason Seifert, Russell Schwanke, Audrey (Steve Larson) McNally, Rich (Deanna) Asmus, Michael McNeill, Mark (Gracie) McNeill, Jacob Schwanke, and Zachary Schwanke; great-grandchildren, Sean and Amanda Smythe, Lexi, Ella , and Ethan Seifert, Ashley and Hannah McNally, Jake Austin and Gavin Asmus, and Travis McNeill; brother, Ray (Marce) Warner of Waite Park.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Eugene Schwanke on May 31, 1988; son, Bruce Schwanke on May 16, 2009; and brother, Charles Warner.

Serving as casket bearers will be David Schwanke, Russell Schwanke, Brian Schwanke, Jacob Schwanke, Zachary Schwanke, Heather Smythe, and Jason Seifert.