Doris Handorf

1923 - 2024

Doris Handorf
Born: July 31, 1923
Died: April 18, 2024
Doris Handorf left her beloved home and garden Thursday, April 18, 2024 at age 100 years and 8 months when God called her to her heavenly home to join her dear sister, Ethel, and other loved ones.
Aunt Doris leaves a legacy of a spirited woman with a life of service to others. She had a positive approach to life and lived it well serving her Lord. This loving, strong, tenacious, thoughtful aunt has been supportive and involved with her 23 nieces and nephews, 55 great-nieces and great-nephews, 85 great-great-nieces and great-great nephews, and 5 great-great-great-nieces and 1 great-great-great-nephew, instilling her strong Christian values.
Doris was born July 31, 1923, to John F. and Mary (Beckwith) Handorf on the same family farm her grandparents had farmed when they came from Germany located near Marley, Illinois. She is preceded in death by all her 7 siblings: Marion, Johnny (Anita), Alma (Harwood) Steliwagen, Wilma(George) Yapp, Ethel (David) Bruns, Howard (Geraldine), and baby Elmer. She was fifth of the eight children growing up on the farm and involved in the many chores. As a child, she walked to the one0room Marley grade school and then attended Joliet Township High School, graduating in 1941. In 1944, she moved with her parents, sisters Marion and Ethel and brother Howard to the 100-year-old, large Van Duser farm house less than a mile down the road to the west. The home is a registered historical landmark in New Lenox.
Doris started her career as a secretary at the Monon Railroad in Chicago, working with her cousin, Minnie Harnew. She then went to work for the Rock Island Railroad with her sister Ethel and friends Betty Sass and Sue Binion. Then they could ride the train free! This young foursome enjoyed playing cards on the train rides. They also traveled together by train to Wyoming for a fun vacation. In later years. she also worked at Standard Oil in Joliet, and was a nurses aide at St. Joseph Hospital in Joliet for two years. Then, she cared for her aging father, and had outstanding flower and vegetable gardens and put up endless amounts of produce. She built up a charitable reputation, as many benefited from her garden labors and giving spirit.
Doris joined Marley Church as a teenager and was the longest serving member. Through the years she has been active in many capacities as Sunday school teacher, leader of Do-Unto-Others-Club, Women's Society activities, Church dinners, Flea Markets, and the list goes on. Many remember her bringing in tubs of chopped rhubarb for pies for the Flea Market and washing the floor on hands and knees at the end of the day.
Doris also led an adventurous life of not one, but 5, trips down the Havasu area of the Grand Canyon, and twice hiked down the regular trail with Ethel. They shared many adventures around Ethel's mountain home in Breckenridge, where Doris spent many winters with Ethel snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Closer to home were numerous hikes to enjoy the spring flowers and bluebells in Messengers Woods cherished by nieces and nephews. She has nurtured the love of nature and God's glorious world in many of us. She was a blessing to all of us and while we greatly miss her we will cherish many rich memories and life lessons.
Donations to Marley Community Church, 12625 West 187th Street, Mokena, IL 60448, would be appreciated in Doris' honor.