Dorothy Huerter

DOROTHY ELIZABETH HUERTER

Anamosa

Dorothy Elizabeth Huerter, 94, of Anamosa, died peacefully with family at her side on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, at the Anamosa Care Center following an extended illness. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Anamosa. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Anamosa. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa, where there will be a 3:30 parish vigil service.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

Surviving are three children, Bill (Sue) of Peosta, Jim (Karina) of Rochester, Minn., and Sherry (Bruce) Engelbart of Anamosa; seven grandchildren, Tim (Sha) Huerter, Kim (Matt) Fix, Mary (Craig Host) Huerter, Sofia (Andrew Ziebarth) Huerter, Angie (Matt) Eckel, Erin (Eli) Vogen and Andy Engelbart; eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Walt (Lo) Gorius of Arroyo Grande, Calif.; brothers- and sisters in-law, Mary Gorius, Dubuque, John Huerter, Anamosa, Erika Huerter, San Antonio, Texas, and Roberta Huerter, Greeley, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ray, in 2005; a sister, Rosalia Paul; and five brothers, Cletus (Bus), Harry, Bill, Joe and Ed Gorius.

Dorothy Elizabeth Gorius was born March 1, 1921, at Worthington, Iowa. She was the daughter of Joseph D. and Rose E. Jasper Gorius. Dorothy attended St Paul's Catholic Church and school in Worthington and later attended and graduated from Viola High School in 1939, where she was a guard on the girls' basketball team and was valedictorian of her class. She had the opportunity to go on to business school, but due to circumstances at the time, she went to work at the Reliance Shirt Factory in Anamosa. Here like many other area young women, she helped in the war effort by helping to produce shirts for the U.S. Navy. It was at this time that her older brother, Bill, introduced her to his friend and fellow car lover, Ray Huerter, who ran the local Skelly Station on Main Street. As they say, with this the rest is history.

On Sept. 12, 1944, Dorothy Gorius married Raymond Huerter at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Anamosa. Though Ray's intended business partner, Bill Gorius, was killed in action in World War II, two months after Ray and Dorothy wed, the couple went on to start and build what would be a 33-year business, Huerter Pontiac. Dorothy capably handled the new and used car sales and bookkeepiing duties, while Ray, with his growing mechanical skills and knowledge, operated the car maintenance and repair branch of the business. From 1947 to 1980, through good and bad years, this small "mom and pop" business prospered and built a loyal clientele who continue to share their stories and memories of Huerter Pontiac and the "extended Huerter business district" on Elm Street.

In the 1960s, Dorothy and Ray built a small, modest cabin on Lake Delhi that provided many years of good and special times for family and friends (as well as many hours of cabin maintenance and a mom's worries) all in the name of making memories. She made sure her children and grandchildren had these as well as a steady example of the values of faith, family, friends, knowledge and perserverance through life's hardships and love.

She was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the Altar and Rosary Society as well as a volunteer at St. Patrick's School as a reading aide and student buddy/mentor. She enjoyed music, with Jim Reeves and Bing Crosby as her favorites. She also enjoyed reading, keeping up with current events and politics as well as gardening, birds and animals. She was proud to have her yard selected as "Yard Of The Week" and of the fact that she survived the demands of caring for and nursing many and varied family pets over the years. Dorothy and Ray loved attending their children's and grandchildren's many sports, music, drama and varied activities. In retirement, they were grateful for time with family and special friends and to be able to travel through the country and take their grandchildren on the favorite annual Adventureland weekend. More than anything, loving and sharing with her family was Dorothy's greatest joy and legacy.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run and not be weary; They shall walk and not be faint:" Isaiah 40:31.