Dorothy was born in St. Louis, MO to Julius and Elsa Poecker. She was the beloved wife for 55 years of the late Clarence “Pete” Lauman. She was preceded in death by her son Bob. Survived by sons Tom (Margie), Don (Donna), daughter-in-law Jill and grandchildren Greg Lauman, Jennifer (Paul) Carcagno, Jeff (Stephanie) Lauman, Chris (Tim) Lanfersieck, Mike Lauman, Matt (Kate) Lauman, and great-grandchildren Stephen Kline, Nicole Lauman, Gianni and Sal Carcagno, Pete, Ethan and Taylor Lauman, Will and Jacob Lanfersieck, Isla and Poppy Lauman, nieces, nephews, friends and her dearest friend for over 60 years, Vicky Tacchi. She was preceded in death by sister, Arline Patterson, brothers Bernard and Alvin Moritz.
She was born and raised near Grand and Meramec in South St. Louis city. She attended Scruggs grade school and Cleveland high school. She wasn’t a great student but she loved sports. Music was a big part of her early and entire life. She started playing the piano at age six and played as recently as a month ago for her fellow residents at Nazareth Living Center. In other words, she played the piano for 90 years. She played piano for the Virginia Dorothy Dance studio, for exercise classes, for various parish events at Epiphany Catholic Church and she taught piano to many young and older students. Her husband and three sons played sports and she once said, “there’s not a ball field in St. Louis that I haven’t been to.” She was very active at the Epiphany parish, serving as class room-mother, Cub Scout den mother, president and officer of the Ladies Guild, chairwoman of many parish events and co-leader of a 120 member Drum & Bugle Corps, comprised of grade school children. She baked 3,000 cookies every Christmas, cream puffs every Easter and made her famous “hamburgers on the half shell.” She was also an avid knitter, making sweaters for family members and pets, as well as dish cloths that never wore out. She dearly loved her family and friends and anyone she met and said on many occasions “I am truly blessed”
Family, friends, music, sports, parish service, baking and knitting were her life.
Her family deeply appreciates the compassionate care and love she received from Nazareth Living Center where she resided for the past 2 ½ years.
Due to Covid-19, visitation will be for immediate family only at Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary. She will be buried with her husband at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
A Celebration of Life Mass will be held at Epiphany Catholic Church at a later date. Please consider donating in Dorothy’s name to a local food bank or charity of your choice.
