Dorothea Ehlers

   Mrs. Dorothea E. E.hlers Age 68 of Arcadia, Iowa and know to most as Dort died at St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll on October 22, 2008, following a lingering illness.    Funeral service will be at 10 am on Monday October 27, 2008 at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia with Pastor Ben Dose and Pastor Paul Frank officiating. Interment will be at the Arcadia Cemetery at Arcadia. Friends may call from 4 pm to 8 pm at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia where there will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. and a children’s sermon will be given at this time. Visitation will continue at 8 am Monday until the time of the funeral. A memorial fund has been established in memory of Dort and may be left at the church. Casket bearers will be Rev. David Meggers, Larry Meggers, Denny Meggers, Larry Ehlers, Paul Ehlers and Chris Ehlers. Dort’s grandchildren will serve as honorary casket bearers.     Dorothea was born on March 27, 1940, at Manning, Iowa, the daughter of William F. and Elvira (Gruhn) Meggers. Dort lived all her life in the Westside and Arcadia communities. As a young girl she attended schools in Manning and Westside, and graduated from ArWeVa High School in 1957, which was the first class to graduate from this consolidated school. She was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning and confirmed in the Lutheran faith on April 3, 1955 at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia by Pastor Theo Tews. On August 9, 1959, Dorothea was united in marriage with Wilbert Ehlers at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia. The brother of the groom, Pastor Harvey Ehlers, officiated the ceremony.    Dorothea was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and the Ladies Aid. She also taught Sunday school, Mid-week lessons and vacation bible school. In her spare time she enjoyed attending school sporting events and spending time with her family. Dort had been a school bus driver in the early 1970s and in 1985, she started working as a Teacher Associate at ArWeVa Elementary School.    Surviving are her husband Wilbert of Arcadia; five daughters: Debra Owen and husband Joel of Arcadia; Diane Schurke and husband Mark of Vail; Darlys Berg and husband of Owatonna, Minnesota; Denise Ragaller and husband Mark of Vail and Donna Schurke and husband Darin of Arcadia; two sons: Douglas Ehlers and wife Alison of Westside and Dwight Ehlers and wife Melissa of Arcadia; 20 grandchildren; two brothers William E. Meggers and Duane Meggers and wife Luetta, all of Westside; her extended family Kenny and Lisa Nepple and their children Melissa and Emily, particulary their son Adam. Dort was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son Allen and a brother Edward Meggers.