Dorothy "Dottie" Menke

Dorothy Jean "Dottie" Menke was born April 25, 1945 in Holdrege, Nebraska, the daughter of Guy and Anna Freitag Knepp. She died Monday, May 1, 2017 at Hilltop Lodge in Beloit, Kansas 6 days after her 72nd birthday.
Dottie grew up on the family farm near Huntley, Nebraska, and graduated from Huntley High School in the Class of 1963. Following graduation, she attended and later graduated from Hastings Beauty Adademy.
On September 1, 1964, she was united in marriage with LeRoy "Sonny" Menke. Following their marriage, they lived and farmed in Lawrence. Five children were born to this union – Tami, Rita, Mike, Mitchel, and Carrie. They were privileged to spend nearly 30 years of marriage together until Sonny's death in April 1994.
Dottie worked at the Blue Hill Care Center, Riverside Lodge, and the Grand Island Veterans Home for 10 years before retiring in 2010.
She enjoyed classic cars, cruise nights, and drives with her friend Don Ruzicka. She also collected angels and cook books, and greatly enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren.
She was a member of St. Leo's Catholic Church in Grand Island, served on the Lawrence School Board for 8 years, and was a member of the Lawrence American Legion Auxiliary and St. Stephen's Altar Society.
Dottie later moved to Grand Island. In 2000, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, had surgery, and continued to enjoy her life. In 2010, her brain tumor recurred, and she continued to fight the battle before moving to Valley, Nebraska for a short time, and later to Beloit, Kansas.
In addition to her husband Sonny, she was preceded in death by her parents; infant son, Mitchel John; three sisters, Roberta Knepp, Donna Knepp, and Viola Klinkman; sister-in-law, Lois Menke; and four brothers-in-law, Walter Hoesch, Ivan Klinkman, Bill Hubl, and LaVern Menke.
Dottie is survived by her children, Tami and husband Phil Roberts of Beloit, Rita and husband Larry Rasmussen of Waterloo, Mike and wife Angela of Lawrence, and Carrie and husband Mike Heikkinen of Lawrence; special friend Don Ruzicka and his family; 15 grandchildren, Luke, Zach, Karissa, Kiley, Cayd, E'va, Wyatt, Lane, Aleah, Cooper, Dillon, Haley, Morgan, Owen, and Mason; one great grandchild, Braelyn; brothers and sisters-in-law, Patty Hubl, Bob and Maureen Faimon, John and Donna Himmelberg; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral services will be at 10 AM Thursday, May 4 at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Lawrence, Nebraska. Visitation will be from 3-8 PM Wednesday at Lawrence Funeral Chapel in Lawrence, NE, & a rosary service will be at 5:30 Wednesday at the Church. Memorials may be given to Solomon Valley Hospice or Lawrence/Nelson Schools.