Aunt Dorothy Hoffstetter Hertzel passed tonight shortly before 11 p.m. Dec. 16. She held on to life as long as she could. She had that tough, German determination that never quit...until a few moments ago.
She was married to Franklin Hertzel, our uncle and brother of our mother, Eunice Hertzel Berger. She leaves a son, Franklin Dale Hertzel and Brian, who died in January 2009.
Her daughter-in-law Jeanne Hertzel was by her side often since her son did not visit her much. Jeanne, you were a blessing to her.
Aunt Dorothy was our last living Aunt...and boy, did she live - having traveled to countries many only read about in books. And she loved learning sooo much. She received her Ph.D. at the age of 66 and it was published when she was 70!
God bless you, Aunt Dorothy. And say Hi to all the Bergers and Hertzels you see.
HERTZEL DOROTHY M. HERTZEL, PhD (nee Hoffstetter), 95, of Brooklyn, OH. Widow of Franklin W. (Orrin Ide Orchestra), she entered the next level of consciousness free from earth-bond restraints at the Parkside Villa Health Facility on December 16th. A lifelong resident of Cuyahoga County she was the daughter of the late Walter and Helen Hoffstetter. She was preceded in death by her brother, Walter Jr.; and son, Brian. Survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Debbi of Irmo, SC.; daughter-in-law Jeanne of Brooklyn, OH.; grandchildren Lisa of Canton, Christopher of Grafton, Stephen and his wife, Jackie of Pittsburgh, Christine also of Pittsburgh, Katie Hertzel of Brooklyn and Cassie of Irmo, SC.; great-grandchild Lucas; a niece and several nephews. The family will receive friends MONDAY 2-4 AND 7-9 P.M. AT THE WALTER MARTENS & SONS FUNERAL HOME, 9811 DENISON AVE. (PARKING ENTRANCE OFF W. 99 ST.). The Funeral Mass Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at St. Thomas More Church, 4170 N. Amber Dr., Brooklyn. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. A graduate of Baldwin Wallace College, Dorothy taught high school in Garfield Hts. in the 1940's and 50's. She earned her Masters of Science in Library Science from Western Reserve University in 1965 while managing the Brooklyn Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library. After retirement she completed her doctorate studies and thesis at Case Western Reserve University earning her Doctorate of Library Science in 1985. Dorothy was one of the first private citizens to be invited to China by the Chinese Government after negotiations between China and then President Reagan. Dr. Hertzel found time to be elected to the Brooklyn School Board, and eventually became its President, while being an active member of the Ohio Historical Society, the Cleveland Archival Roundtable, the Laurel Garden Club, the Greater Cleveland Genealogical Society of Ohio, the Ohio Library Assn., and the Brooklyn Republican Club. She was one of the founders of the Brooklyn Historical Scoiety, and founder of the Friends of the Brooklyn Library and the Brooklyn Genealogy Group. Dorothy received many various awards from the the Ohio School Board Assn., and had received much acclaim when her doctorate thesis was published in the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. www.martensfuneralhome.com
