RITTMAN – Dorothy Louise Hermanek, born August 11, 1941, went home to be with the Lord on August 6, 2009 after a brief but courageous fight with cancer. She was preceded in death by her parents, Everett and Lorraine Nicodemus, her sister and brother-in-law Joan and Frank Lewis and nephew John Palmquist (US Navy).
Dorothy’s was a giving soul, the kind of person who gave of herself without personal regard. She always went to a person in need. She was an adventurous spirit who after caring for her sister and her mother stayed in Bakersfield (where she was born and raised) to buy a bar and learned to play pool quite well. At different times in her life she lived near all of her family and was able to influence all of them deeply. While Dorothy (and her family) wished this could have ended differently, she was able to see everyone that she wanted to. She was given the gift of being able to go on her own terms and in peace. Dorothy never knew a stranger and is looking down on every one she ever met or knew, as an angel. She will live in all of our hearts.
She is survived by her sister, Rev. Susanne Palmquist. Her four children, Dian Schneider, Julie (and Mark) Grossi, Valerie (and Nico) Luna, and Jon (and April) Calderwood. Her nine grandchildren; Nicholas Schneider, Casey and Landon Baker, Connor and Thomas Robbins, Sarah Grossi, Marissa and Alana Gorski and Annabelle Calderwood. Her nieces, Patricia (and Richard) Cavendish and their children, Richard jr., Tiffany, Madison, McKenna and Jared, Nancy Moran and her children, Sean and Diana. And nephews Michael (and Cheryl) Lewis and their children, Dawna and Kellyn, and Greg Lewis.
Cremation has taken place and a memorial service is planned for Saturday, August 15, 2009 at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wooster, OH at 1:00PM. Another Service will take place in Bakersfield, CA at the First Methodist Church at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in her memory.

Memorial Contributions

Service
Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 1:00 P.M. at the Salem Lutheran Church in Wooster

Visitation
No Calling Hours