Dorothy Dee Folkerts, age 94 of Collinsville, IL, passed away on Monday, August 2, 2021 at her residence surrounded by family.
Dorothy was a worker! She started working at the age of 6 in her dad’s Dunstan’s Grocery store. Then, after graduating from McCray Dewey High School, she graduated from beauty school and opened her beauty salon on Main Street in Troy. After hours she was “courted” by “Jasper” Folkerts at his cafe’, where she and Jasper (“Jase” to her) worked together. They married April 20, 1947. The union of marriage continued in working at “Jasper’s” gas station on St. Louis Road in Collinsville, where she would be available for washing Bell Telephone trucks, pumping gas, etc … all while she was a “stay-at-home” mom! Later in life, Dorothy returned to the grocery business, where she was a checker at Viviano’s, and in the bakery at Schnucks, retiring at the age 72.
The leisure activities for Dorothy included being the seamstress for her daughters’ and her own clothes, being a great cook, chauffeur for any of their four kids (and their friends), being a Brownie leader, and being in a card club or two. Through it all, she supported her family of four generations in church, school, and all phases of life. She was loved by all generations and by nieces and nephews and will be missed … until we meet again!
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Rena (nee Rood) Dunstan; husband, Ralph W. “Jasper” Folkerts; grandson, Mark K. Milster, Jr.; sister, Audrey Vesci; brother, Billie R. Dunstan; and son-in-law, Paul T. Bohnenstiehl.
She is survived by her four children: William (Laura) Folkerts of Cheswick, PA, Linda Bohnenstiehl of Collinsville, Vicki (Michael) Huddleston of Muscle Shoals, AL, and Sarah (Mark) Nischwitz of Collinsville; 10 grandchildren: Nathan Milster, Blake Bohnenstiehl, Heath (Stephanie) Huddleston, Hayley Mesier, Bliss (Jeff) Muniz, Jason Huddleston, Caleb (Faith) Folkerts, Jonathan Folkerts, Anna Folkerts, Mark (Kelly) Nischwitz; 20 great-grandchildren: Austin and Nathan Milster, Daniel Myers, Breann Rhyne, Lily and Isabella Meiser, Wade and Gabriel Huddleston, Kelsey, Karter and Kaleb Bohnenstiehl, Mary Kate, Allee and Linsee Muniz, Billy Mayer, Zachary, Olivia and Jake Nischwitz, McKenzie (Calvin) Meyer, Morgan (Jared) Schmit; 3 great-great-grandchildren: Evelyn and Eleanor Meyer, Aislin, Schmidt; a brother, Robert Dunstan of Jacksonville, FL; numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 304 South Street, Collinsville, IL.
Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. following the visitation with Rev. Kyle Wright officiating. Burial will be in Holy Cross Lutheran Cemetery, Collinsville.
Memorials may be made in Dorothy’s honor to Holy Cross Lutheran Church or Vitas Hospice and will be received at the visitation or can be mailed to the funeral home at 2800 N. Center Street, Maryville, IL 62062.
Condolences barrywilsonfuneralhome.com
