Dorothy Stringer

Dorothy Elizabeth Stringer, age 84, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning of April 24, 2020. Dorothy was born on her mother’s 20th birthday, May 19, 1935. She grew up in Aurora, Indiana, a small town on the banks of the Ohio River.

Her father, Martin Donselman, and his brothers ran Dearborn Mills in Aurora, and her mother, Norma Donselman, managed the mill’s office. Dorothy and her brothers, Edward and Henry, had a wonderful childhood, playing and fishing on their grandpa’s farm, going into town for ice cream at Ullrich’s soda counter, and working on their 4-H projects. Dorothy graduated from Aurora High School in 1953. She won a scholarship to Indiana University, Bloomington, and graduated with a B.A. in Home Economics in 1957. While at college, she met her future husband and the love of her life, Stanley Stringer.

Dorothy taught home economics at John Adams High School in South Bend, Indiana, from fall semester 1957 through fall semester 1958. She married Stan in December 1958 after he secured a job with the FDA, and they moved to Cincinnati, then Detroit. In Detroit, she worked for American Motors, Kelvinator Division, as a home economist, testing state-of-the art appliances such as dishwashers and microwave ovens. In October 1960, she became a mother to Patricia Ann. A second daughter, Linda Lee, followed 18 months later. In 1963, the Stringer family moved to Annandale, Virginia. In 1965, Lawrence Jeffery was born, and the family moved to Falls Church.

By 1967, Dorothy was a mother by day and a teacher for Fairfax County Adult Education by night. She was a gifted seamstress and taught classes in clothing construction and window treatments. As the children grew, her career with Fairfax County Adult Education expanded. She became a class coordinator and supervisor, hiring teachers and dreaming up countless new classes—from Woodworking to Bread Baking, to Gardening, to Finishing a Basement, to tours of local landmarks.

After retiring from Fairfax County in the early 1990s, Dorothy settled into traveling the world with Stan and being a full-time grandmother to her five grandchildren—Rhiannon, Andrew, Aidan, Joey, and David. She kept up with her love of sewing by picking up quilting. She was a member of the McLean chapter of Quilters Unlimited. One of her quilts was displayed at the Virginia Quilt Museum. She was also a lifelong gardener, with her yard in Falls Church as her canvas.

Dorothy leaves her family with many happy memories, a stack of beautiful quilts, and a yard filled with flowers. We will miss her love, her energy, and her smiles. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Falls Church, Virginia.