Doreen M. Stolze, 82, of Ankeny, IA, passed away Tuesday, June 6, 2017, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, IA. Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m., to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, June 11, 2017, at Ankeny Funeral Home (1510 W. First St., Ankeny, IA 50023). Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, June 12, 2017 at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Church (510 E. First St. Ankeny, IA 50021). Memorials may be directed towards the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children (5525 Meredith Dr Ste F, Des Moines, IA 50310).
Doreen Mary Stolze was born February 23, 1935, to Homer and Mildred (Helton) Wagner, in Burlington, Iowa. She was raised there and graduated from Burlington High School. Doreen then went on to attend Iowa State University in Ames, IA, where she received her Masters of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education. Doreen was united in marriage to Mark August Stolze on April 22, 1957 in Burlington and they were blessed with 8 children. Doreen worked in childhood education for many years, working at Des Moines Area Community College for 15 years before moving to Columbus, Ohio, where she went to work as a professor at Columbus State before retiring in 1999. Doreen and Mark moved back to Ankeny in 2000 where she was self-employed as a children’s education center consultant for a few years.
Doreen was a member of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Church in Ankeny where she was an Eucharist minister, and she and Mark hosted the Wise &Wonderful group for many years. She was also a member of the Catholic Daughters. Doreen was involved with the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children and also the Des Moines African Violet Club. In her free time, Doreen enjoyed raising African violets and reading, along with doing needlepoint work.
Doreen is survived by her husband of 60 years, Mark Stolze; 8 children: Peter (Laura) Stolze of Ankeny Mark G (Julie) Stolze of Windsor, CA, Joseph (Elizabeth) Stolze of Omaha, NE, Catherine (Sean) Fry of Tulsa, OK, Cecilia (Robert) Hickman of Ankeny, Cynthia (Kevin) Hultman of Lewisville, TX, Constance (Terry) Handel of Sycamore, IL and Colleen (Mark) Bennett of Appleton, WI; she is further survived by 2 siblings, Doris (Melvin) Nelson, Donna (Rev. Tom) Woehrle; 19 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Doreen is preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Dale Wagner.
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