Dorothy Walther

Dorothy Nell Louise (Woelfel) Walther, 91, went to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Friday, October
22, 2021.

Dorothy was born at Tahoka, Texas on October 11, 1930 to Ewald John Woelfel and Ella Dora (Menzel)
Woelfel. She was baptized October 19, 1930 at the Wilson Church by Pastor M.J. Scaer and confirmed into the
Lutheran faith on Palm Sunday, March 25, 1945, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Thorndale, Texas. Her
confirmation verse was Acts 4:12—”Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Dorothy attended St. Paul Lutheran Church grade school and graduated from Thorndale High School in 1949.
On July 3, 1949, she was united in marriage to Max W. Walther at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Thorndale by
Reverend Paul Stelzer. After they married, Dorothy became a life-long, faithful member of the Prince of Peace
Lutheran Church at Wuthrich Hill, serving several years as a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Women’s
group, and head of the Altar Guild for some 10 years. She and Max were married 44 years before his death on
December 30, 1993.

Dorothy wore many hats during her lifetime—first and foremost as a wife and the mother of seven children.
She spent countless hours helping Max in the fields, sewing clothes for her children, and working in her
gardens. She had many hobbies—one of which was repairing the existing and making more of the beautiful
Chrismons that decorate the Christmas tree at Prince of Peace each year. Another hobby that was dear to her
heart was working on the various family genealogies of the Menzel, Woelfel, Walther, Krieg, and Lange
families. She also spent several years working at the sewing plant, Fashinns, in Taylor until the birth of her
youngest daughter, Gem. Many stories can be told about the wild animals that she took in as babies and raised
until the skunks got a little stinky, the raccoons killed her chickens, the crows flew away and the piglets and
calves that she bottle-fed grew up to be sold or made into bacon or steaks. She loved to read and do word search
puzzles while listening to polka music on the radio. Her plastic canvas creations were admired by many as
were the small quilts she made for her great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Dorothy was preceeded in death by her parents, Ewald John Woelfel and Ella Dora
(Menzel) Woelfel Zieschang and her step-father, Oswald E. Zieschang, three brothers—Leroy Woelfel, John
Woelfel and Verner Monroe Woelfel and his wife, Dolores (Bachmeyer) Woelfel.

Dorothy is survived by her seven children and spouses: Maxine Schroeder (Bobby), Jacqulyn Kelm (Roger),
Thomas Walther (EllaMay), Charlotte Walther, Sandra Dodd (Randy), Max Walther, Jr. (Pamela), and Gem
Naivar. There are 14 grandchildren and spouses: Anthony Gage (Andrea—deceased), LaNelle Deardorf (Bert),
Michelle Nobles (Tyler), Thomas Walther, Jr. (Sara), Abigail Dalton (Walter), Naomi Ozaki ( Kyle), Hannah
Taylor (Tyson), Jared Walther (Bailee), Angela Arthur, Katharine Roberts (Joshua), Max Walther III (Amy
Hudson), Denise McRae (Daniel), Deanna Walther (Wes Hayden), and Caleb Naivar. Also surviving are 28
great-grandchildren along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws including Margie Middaugh, Rose
Lee Hardi, Wilbert & Mabel Walther and Marjorie LaVerda Walther.

Serving as pallbearers are: Edward Woelfel, Russell Middaugh, Keith Ging, Mark Hardi, Raymond Waiser, and
Brian Neidig. Honorary pallbearers are grandsons: Anthony Gage, Max Walther III, Thomas Walther, Jr.,
Jared Walther, & Caleb Naivar.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church—Memorial Fund, Building
Fund or the Cemetery Association or the charity of your choice.