Obituary

Dorothea E. Goering, 82, died on Tuesday (Dec. 7, 2010) in her home.

Dorothea was born on Aug. 29, 1928, to C.P. and Helen (Toevs) Regier of Peabody. The daughter of dairy farmers, Dorothea was active in 4-H from age 9, named the Kansas Holstein Club Girl for 1945 and worked as a milk tester for the Dairy Herd Improvement Association of Marion County during World War II. Upon confession of faith, she became a member of Emmaus Mennonite Church. She attended Hesston Academy and graduated from Berean Academy in 1950.
Dorothea married Herbert D. Goering in 1950. They farmed near Elbing until Herb joined the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1956. Herb’s job assignments took them to Newton, Wichita, Osawatomie and Independence, Mo., as the family grew to include five children. Dorothea looked at every move as an adventure. The first priority at each location was to find a church and the second was to find the library.

Dorothea worked for the General Service Administration for 15 years. She and Herb both retired in 1986 and returned to the Newton area. During retirement, Dorothea and Herb enjoyed traveling to visit their children, relatives and friends and to see the beauty of the United States. After Herb’s death in 2004, Dorothea moved to Lakeside Villa in Hesston. There, she regularly swam at 5:30 a.m., quilted, took woodworking classes, walked at Dyck Arboretum and enjoyed flower gardening, knitting, crocheting, Scrabble and reading. She was active in the Lakeside Villa community, volunteered at the Et Cetera Shop and Kauffman Museum, and served on numerous committees at church. She knitted baby caps for Newton Medical Center.
Dorothea enjoyed singing in church choirs and with community groups. A highlight was singing Handel’s “Messiah” in Independence, Mo.

Dorothea is survived by her daughters, Constance of Albuquerque, N.M., and Roberta and husband Jerry Anderson of Chicago; sons, David and wife Cathy Anderson of Newton, Charles and wife Anne Simpkins of Burlington, N.C., and Loren and wife Melissa Cahn of Lords Valley, Pa.; brother, Lawrence and wife Doris of Palm City, Fla.; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Walter Regier of Moundridge, Martha Sundgren of North Newton, Rosella Goering Brandt and Ray Brandt of North Newton, John and Orletta Goering of Portland, Ore., Leonard and Delores Goering of North Newton, Jim and Ida Goering of Dayton, Va., JoAnn and Tony Epp of Goessel, Harry and Rosie Goering of Menifee, Calif., and Hildred Goering of Ayden, N.C. Dorothea has eight grandchildren, Davis, Kate, Elisabeth, Dominic, Emma, Abraham, August and Lisa. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herb Goering; parents, C.P. and Helen (Toevs) Regier; stepmother, Susie Regier; sister, Darlene Regier; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Elva and Dan J. Goering, Walter and Della Goering, Frieda Regier, Alvin Goering, Willard and Alice Goering, Dan H. and Grace Goering, Archer Sundgren, Art Goering, Gene Goering and Larry Goering.

Inurnment will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Greenwood Cemetery Columbarium. The memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m Tuesday at First Mennonite Church in Newton, with lunch and sharing following the service. There will be no visitation or viewing times at the funeral home. A memorial has been established with the Caring Fund of First Mennonite Church and Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice. Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton.