Doris Ann Rotermund

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life in Christ Jesus, we remember with thanksgiving the life of Doris Ann (Doehrman) Rotermund, whom the Lord called to Himself on April 9, 2026, at the age of 91.

Doris was born on June 25, 1934, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to William and Ruth Doehrman. She was baptised on August 26, 1934, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church and later confirmed in the faith on March 21, 1948. From her earliest days, Doris was formed by the life of the Church — its Word, its hymns, and its faithful instruction — and she remained rooted in Christ all her life.

A lifelong student of Lutheran education, Doris attended Emmanuel Lutheran School, Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, Concordia Junior College in Fort Wayne, and Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois, where she graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a minor in Religious Studies. She often spoke of her first-grade teacher, whose quiet faith and dedication inspired Doris to pursue the vocation of teaching in the Christian day school.

On July 21, 1956, Doris was united in holy marriage to Donald Rotermund at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Their marriage was blessed with children, Deborah Ruth and David Erich, and sustained by a shared devotion to Christ and His Church. Doris embraced her callings with humility and joy -- first as a teacher, then as a full-time mother, and again as an educator — always seeing her work not simply as a profession, but as a vocation through which she could serve her Lord and care for His little ones.

She taught in Lutheran schools in Dallas, including Grace Lutheran and Zion Lutheran, before dedicating many years to early childhood education at Central Lutheran Church and later at Zion, where she helped shape and lead the preschool program until her retirement in 1997. Generations of children were welcomed into classrooms marked by gentleness, order, and the quiet witness of a teacher who loved them and pointed them to Jesus.

Doris’s life in the Church extended far beyond the classroom. She was a faithful student and teacher of the Scriptures, becoming a certified Bethel Bible Series instructor. She served in Sunday School, the Altar Guild (including as chair), the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and in ministries of mercy — quilting for those in need, assisting with Braille work, and offering hospitality to many. For more than forty years, her voice joined the choir, lifting the Church’s song in rich and meaningful hymnody.

Her faith was not loud, but it was steadfast. Doris was known as an encourager, a careful listener, and a gracious supporter of others. She spoke thoughtfully and sparingly, always seeking to put the best construction on everything. She preferred the background to the spotlight, finding fulfillment in service rather than recognition. She loved Holy Scripture, reading daily and praying with intention and depth. Even in her personal life — through her love of sacred art, her thoughtful giving, and even her choice of colors reflecting the Church Year — she bore quiet witness to the beauty and rhythm of the Christian faith.

In recent years, Doris bore the cross of Parkinson’s disease with perseverance and without complaint. She continued to engage in exercises to preserve her voice and remained steadfast in spirit, trusting in the Lord’s sustaining grace.

Doris is survived by her beloved husband Donald; her children, Deborah (Tom) White and David (Kisty) Rotermund; her grandchildren Carrie and Kelly White; Jacob, Caleb, and Kenzie Rotermund; step-grandchild Cierra Floyd; and her sisters Carol, Jeannie, and Marlene. She was preceded in death by her sister Paula. As the eldest of five sisters, Doris (affectionately called “Dorie”) was a steady and guiding presence in her family, and by God’s grace, she was granted a long life in their midst.

The Church gives thanks for Doris’s life of faithful service and commends her to the mercy of God, trusting in the promise of the resurrection.

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord…that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)

Soli Deo Gloria.

Memorial Choices:

- The William and Ruth Doehrman Family Endowment Scholarship

(for High School) 1601 St. Joe River Drive, Ft. Wayne, IN 46805

- Lutheran Braille workers P.O.Box 5000 Yucaipa, CA. 92399

- Parkinson’s Voice Project Richardson, Tx,