Sister Dorothy Kroetzsch, 1918-1996
Born February 8, 1918, Oakley, Ohio
Entered St. Walburg Monastery, August 15, 1937
First Profession June 29, 1939
Died August 19, 1996
Sr. Dorothy was born to Frank and Jennie Lillian Broadwell Kroetzsch and given the name Rosella Frances. When her father died, Rosella and her sister Dorothy went ot live at the Good Shepherd Home in Ft. Thomas. When she came to St. Walburg Monastery in 1937 she came with the recommendation of Mother St. John who said, “she has always been a prayerful, respectful child. The dear girl is very much in earnest and we feel she will make a good religious.” Rosella became Sr. Mary Dorothy on March 21, 1938 and made profession in June, 1939.
In her early years in the community Sr. Dorothy taught primary grade children in schools staffed by Benedictines: St. Therese, St. Benedict;, Holy Cross, St. Henry, St. Anthony and All Saints. She also supervised the “big boys” at St. John Orphanage. Having some training in nursing skills, she cared for patients at St. Joseph Hospital in Florence, Colorado. After 1967 most of Sr. Dorothy’s service was to the community at the monastery. She was an excellent seamstress, an on call mender and constant laundress. For over a quarter of a century Sr. Dorothy performed that final act of services for the sisters, dressing that last time for their burial.
In August of 1994 Sr. Dorothy was diagnosed with cancer. Her patience and happy disposition in trying circumstances endeared her to the nurses and aides who cared for her when she could not care for herself. It was a heart-warming experience to witness their affection for her in the her last days.