Dorothea Anne Ahlers

Dorothea (Dottie) Anne Ahlers passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, April 10, 2026. She was born in Indianapolis to Lorraine and John August Schwert on April 26, 1928. She attended St Joan of Arc Catholic School and St Agnes Academy, graduating in 1945. She and her classmates continued to meet for lunch regularly into their early 90s, calling themselves “The Lunch Bunch”. After enrolling in a nursing training program at Butler University, she left the program after the first year and went to work in banking where she met Robert (Bob) D. Ahlers. The two married on Thanksgiving Day in 1950. They had five sons and one daughter together. Dottie loved raising her family and regarded it as her life's work. She especially enjoyed being a grandma, ensuring that there was always candy for the grandkids to discover when they visited. In recent years Dottie doted on her great-grandchildren, looking forward to calls with them and seeing them on their visits to Indy.

In addition to being a devoted mother and supportive spouse, Dottie was well known and loved within the Catholic community of Indianapolis to which she remained devoted throughout her life. She was a founding parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church and volunteered regularly for parish events, including serving as a Eucharistic minister alongside Bob for decades. She also actively supported Cathedral High School through the Mother’s Club, helping to organize and cater fundraising and other vital events for the school after it merged with Ladywood and St Agnes. Dottie loved everything Irish, especially Notre Dame. She was a season ticket holder for the Colts for over 35 years. She loved family celebrations, shopping, and Saturday evening Mass followed by a nice dinner out. She and Bob took regular trips to Ft Myers, Florida, where she enjoyed drinking margaritas by the pool with her friends. She worked hard to stay in touch with her friends and regularly sent birthday cards to family and friends who lived out of town, even into her 90s.

She is predeceased by her husband of almost 60 years, Bob; her sister, Mary Dolores (Schwert) Spragg, and her brother John August Schwert II; as well as her daughter Anne Therese (Ahlers) Garber, her son John William Ahlers, and her grandson Samuel Robert Ahlers. She is survived by her sons Bob Ahlers, Jr. (Megan), Chris Ahlers, Drew Ahlers (Ellen), and Matt Ahlers (Crissy), 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren as well as her niece Stacia Spragg-Braude (Darren) and her nephew Vince Spragg (Roz). Donations in her memory may be made to Cathedral High School or Christ the King Catholic Church.

The services will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5884 Crittenden Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday, April 20, with the calling from 10am and the Celebration of Life Mass at 12pm followed by burial in Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Feeney-Hornak Keystone Mortuary.