Dorothy Deane Lemke
Dorothy Deane Bower Lemke, 87, of Jefferson City, passed
away Saturday, May 25, 2019, at Capital Region Medical Center.
Dorothy was born February 8, 1932, in Fortuna, Missouri, the
daughter of the late Oscar Fredrick and Charlotta
Harriet (Thompson) Kueffer.
She was married on November 1, 1952, in
California, Missouri to Sam Leonard Bower, who
preceded her in death in April, 1991. On March 5,
2001, she married Rudolf Michael Lemke who
survives at the home.
A 1950 graduate of Tipton High School, Dorothy
trained as a cosmetologist and later as an optician
in Chillicothe, Missouri. She opened and operated
Classic Optical in Jefferson City until she retired in 1997.
She was a member of the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Dorothy
enjoyed all types of activities including sewing, crocheting, upholstering, and gardening. She loved volunteering at the Salvation
Army.
Dorothy's greatest life achievement was proving that one woman
can make a lasting difference to thousands of people in the Yucatan
Peninsula of Mexico. She first visited the area in 1982 to view the
ancient ruins but fell in love with the people, many of whom she
found were in need of eyeglasses. In subsequent trips she brought
used glasses that clients had left at her store and began distributing
them in the poor Mayan villages.
In 2003 Dorothy started the Merida Foundation to further assist
the poor of the Yucatan. In addition to providing eyeglasses, the
foundation established nutrition programs for school children in
these villages. Today the Merida Foundation feeds over 500
children each school day at multiple sites.
For her life work, Dorothy received the 2011 Mrs. William H.
Weldon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Zonta Club of
Jefferson City.
She is survived by her husband, Rudolf Lemke, Jefferson City;
two sons, Larry Dean Bower, Jefferson City and Dale Lee Bower,
Tucson, Arizona; three step-children, Christina (Onnie) Clem, Lago
Vista, Texas; Theresa Hedrick, Jefferson City; Paul Lemke, Jefferson City; four grandchildren, Brandy (Jeff) Nineman, Kevin Bower,
Chris (Kelly) Bower, Jeff (Maya) Bower; three great-grandchildren,
Kaitlyn Bauer, Tegan Alexandrea Bower, Addie Nineman; and a
niece, Martha (Archie) Devers, Smithville, Missouri.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband,
Sam; a young sister, Emma Kueffer; and sister, Mary Elizabeth
Jones.
Visitation will be 4:30-7 p.m., Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at DulleTrimble Funeral Home with a prayer service at 4 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 29,
2019, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, with the Rev. Fred Elskamp
officiating.
Entombment will be in Resurrection Mausoleum.
Memorials are suggested to The Merida Foundation, P.O.B.
105431, Jefferson City, MO 65110.
Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family
may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website
Published May 29, 2019