Dorcas Esther Recks

Dorcas Esther Mueller Recks was born June 8, 1933, in Monitor Township, Bay County, MI to Hans & Florence (Werner) Mueller. As a young adult, Dorcas’ dream was to become a deaconess, but life led her into the library profession. After earning her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s degree in library science from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, she worked as a school librarian for eight years in Racine, WI and St. Louis, MO (during the early years of school libraries), eventually making the acquaintance of a certain Seminary student named John Recks. They married on July 6, 1963, and enjoyed 47 years of marriage.

Dorcas embraced her life as pastor’s wife, drawing on her love of the Lord, as well as her education, many talents, and strong work ethic to be a capable pastor’s wife, Bible study leader, LWML officer, and church volunteer (including starting and leading many groups) – she got to be her own version of deaconess after all! During John’s 40 years in the ministry and well into retirement, they served churches in Natchez MS, Worden IL, Palmyra MO, Quincy IL, and Fort Wayne IN.

Dorcas was an impressive example of a “Proverbs 31 woman.” She was practical, thrifty, industrious, and energetic, and she kept an orderly, neat home where her children were loved, supported, well fed, well educated, and also learned to work! She enjoyed reading biographies and historical non-fiction in her rare down times, and she loved classical music (her favorite was Handel’s Messiah).

In the community, Dorcas started a public library in the 1970s in the town of Worden IL, worked as a medical librarian at a hospital in Quincy, IL for 20 years, worked at the reference desk at the public library in Quincy, IL, and volunteered in numerous school and church libraries through the years. Using their compassion for people and their own life experiences/challenges, Dorcas & John led an Emotions Anonymous group in Quincy, IL for many years, and they ministered to many struggling and hurting people through the years. In her later years and even until her death at age 89, Dorcas continued to daily spread joy, contentment, and kindness – even in her stillness and being!

Dorcas & John provided a solid literary, musical, Christian foundation for their three children. Their children are privileged and grateful to be good friends and to continue their parents’ legacy of faith, compassion for people, love of books and learning, enjoyment of music, and strong work ethic … and to pass these to future generations.

Dorcas & John were blessed with eight grandchildren and were extremely pleased and proud of the compassionate, wise, talented, and fun-loving Christian citizens they are. And another generation is well underway with six great-grandchildren!

Dorcas outlived her parents, Hans & Florence; three sisters, Vera, Martha, and Mary; husband, John; father-in-law, Ewald; mother-in-law, Millie; and brother-in-law, Jack. Dorcas is survived by her 3 children, Paula Akers (& Tony Jansen), Natalie (& Douglas) Reynolds, and Stephen Recks (& Carin Gado); 8 grandchildren, Hannah (& Jonathan) Matteson, Benjamin (& Amber) Akers, Caleb Akers (& Bethany Rogers), Zachary (& Rachel) Reynolds, Jennifer (& Matthew) Porath, Micah Reynolds, Aaron (& Abby) Reynolds, Kajsa Recks; 6 great-grandchildren, Matthew and Elizabeth Akers, Lydia, Silas, Eliana, and Baby Matteson; mother-in-law, Moonyean Recks; brothers-in-law, James Hall, Luther Gutknecht, Timothy Recks, James (& Susan) Recks; sisters-in-law, Miriam Moorman, Elizabeth (& Joey) Treviño, Deborah (& Morgan) Caudill; two special foreign exchange student “children”, Fred Küffner and Hildenise Guimarães Eleuterio; and many dear extended family and godchildren.

The family extends special appreciation and love to the staff of Lutheran Life Villages in Fort Wayne IN for their generous loving care of Dorcas during her final years; Dorcas felt very much at home and content at LLV. The family also sends deep gratitude to Deaconess Jeana Moe and Stillwater Hospice of Fort Wayne for their compassionate attention to Dorcas during her final years. Your ministry to Dorcas and her family is irreplaceable and deeply treasured.

Dorcas died peacefully on January 21, 2023, after a long decline from dementia. Her life will be celebrated with a memorial service on Saturday, February 11 at 1:30 pm at Lutheran Life Villages Chapel, 6701 S Anthony Blvd, Fort Wayne IN … and then with a funeral service & committal on Saturday, June 3 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 512 South Main St, Worden IL. Her cremains will be buried alongside her husband and several paternal ancestors in their treasured community of Worden. The family is grateful for the beautiful handling of arrangements by Elzey-Patterson-Rodak of Fort Wayne.

Dorcas was practical and would have appreciated donations (rather than flowers) given to a ministry dear to her heart:

• Lutheran South Unity School, 5401 S Calhoun St, Fort Wayne IN 46807

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2HI2AWX3AL3Q1?ref_=wl_share (purchase books from Amazon and ship them to the school) …OR…

www.lsusfw.org/support-donate/donate-by-paypal – “School Library”

• Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Pl, St. Louis MO 63105

www.CSL.edu/support (Give Now) – “Student Financial Aid”

• Lutheran Life Villages – Fort Wayne IN 46825

www.LLVgive.org/memorialgift – “Where Needed Most”

• Stillwater Hospice, 5910 Homestead Rd, Fort Wayne IN 46814

www.stillwater-hospice.org/donate-2/donate/ – “Music Therapy”