Dorothy (Jorgensen) Schmitzer
February 25, 1932 - November 14, 2025
TRAVERSE CITY – Dorothy Hattie Schmitzer, formerly of Frankenmuth, Michigan, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, ascended to her heavenly home peacefully on Friday, November 14th, with her loving family by her side. She leaves behind a legacy of strong faith, love, laughter, and cheerfulness that touched everyone who had the joy of knowing her. She was 93.
Dorothy was born February 25th, 1932, in Frankenmuth, Michigan, to Herbert and Margaret (Lotter) Schluckebier, their 4th daughter of 6. She attended St. Lorenz Lutheran School, Frankenmuth High School (9th and 10th grade), and graduated from Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw in 1950. She married Robert (Bob) Jorgensen on April 15th, 1952, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They were married for 57+ years and were blessed with 4 children. After they both retired, they enjoyed many bus, train, ship, and plane adventures and visiting family members. Bob passed in 2009. In 2010, our Lord brought Floyd Schmitzer, a classmate of Dorothy’s through her school years, into her life and they married on November 26th, 2016. They loved holding hands, sitting close to each other, and were an inspiration of love and faith to everyone around them. Floyd passed in February, 2025, after a brief illness. At the age of 14, Dorothy started working as a waitress at Zehnder’s Hotel, a career that lasted 25 years, and her tables in the Heritage dining room are still known as “Dorothy’s tables”. As her children grew, she changed careers and worked at various insurance agencies in Birch Run and Frankenmuth.
Dorothy was also active in her lifelong church, St. Lorenz Lutheran, working at and managing the accounting at the bookstore, she was part of the blanket-making group, she helped to hand-make the beautiful church banners, and she volunteered for many funeral luncheons. She also volunteered many hours of her time at clothing resale stores in Saginaw and Frankenmuth. Over the years, Dorothy was a member of numerous Bible study groups and several card clubs.
Dorothy lived in Frankenmuth almost all of her life, moving to Traverse City in early March to be closer to family. She loved Frankenmuth and was an unofficial ambassador for the city, always talking with pride and joy about the numerous activities happening in town. In the summer months, she and Floyd spent many evenings eating and dancing at the Fischer Platz and attending Sunday concerts in the park. She loved her flower garden, crafting, and traveling, taking many bus tours throughout the country, and visiting her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. In 2014 Dorothy won a $10,000 grand prize through the Frankenmuth Credit Union and promptly scheduled a New England cruise to celebrate with her family. Through her entire life, she was always quick to smile and wink and had a wonderfully pleasant personality that everyone commented on, even as her memory deteriorated from dementia in her final years.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her mother-in-law Beatrice and father-in-law James Jorgensen, her first husband Robert W. Jorgensen, her second husband, Floyd R. Schmitzer, her sisters and brothers-in-law Mike and Esther Ortner, Herbert and Margaret Grueber, Frank and Ruth Rittmueller, Richard Howell, Wayne Weston, and Bernie O’Neil, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, James and Lorette Jorgensen and Betty and Chet Ziemba, stepbrothers Alois “Chip” Schmitzer and Kurt Schmitzer, sister-in-law Delphine Blohm, and step daughter-in-law Tammy Schmitzer.
Dorothy is survived by her 4 children, Robert (Anne) Jorgensen, John (AnaMari) Jorgensen, Janine (Dana) Livingston, and Lynda (Mike) Licastro; 6 step-children, Floyd (Lynn) Schmitzer, Allen (Renee) Schmitzer, Joel (Rose) Schmitzer, Brian (Marlene) Schmitzer, Duane Schmitzer, and Linda Schmitzer; 10 grandchildren, Emily (Jeff) Simmers, Adam (Shannon) Jorgensen, Sophia Jorgensen, Eric Jorgensen, Ian Livingston, Jenna Livingston, Kelly Livingston, Nina Jastrzebski, MaryClaire Licastro, and Gabriel Licastro; 8 step-grandchildren, Erin (Dan) Paulson, Nick Schmitzer, David (Heather) Schmitzer, Michael (Rachel) Schmitzer, Corey (Abby) Schmitzer, Kyle Schmitzer, Brandon (Jennifer) Schmitzer, and Amanda (Michael) Fincher; 4 great grandchildren and 14 step-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters, Marie Howell and Barb O’Neil, and stepsisters, Melna Bergman and Shirley (Jim) Poellet.
The family welcomes all who were touched by Dorothy to attend a visitation at Cederberg Funeral Home of Frankenmuth, 590 N. Franklin Street, on Friday, November 21st from 3-7pm. Dorothy's service will be livestreamed at Live Stream – St. Lorenz Lutheran Church & School. On November 22nd, visitation will begin at 10am at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, 1030 W. Tuscola St, followed by the funeral service at 11am, burial after the service in the St. Lorenz cemetery, and a luncheon in the church basement.
The family would like to express their gratitude for the wonderful help and care provided by the staff at Life of Riley Maples in Traverse City, to the residents at Life of Riley Maples for the love and support they showed to Dorothy as her dementia progressed, and to Hospice of Michigan for the compassionate care they provided the past month. Everyone cared for her like she was their own mother. It was such a blessing to the family.
Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider a memorial to St. Lorenz Lutheran Church.
“Remember me when flowers bloom early in the Spring. Remember me on sunny days in the fun that summer brings. Remember me in the fall as you walk through leaves of gold, and remember me in the wintertime in the stories that are told. But most of all remember each day, right from the start. I will be forever near for I live within your heart.” by Gabina Gomez
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