Dorothea Rahn

Longtime teacher and Timber Lake Playhouse founding board member, Dorothea Rahn, 92, of Lanark, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. She was born March 16,1931 in Chicago, the daughter of Albert and Ruth (Peterson) Rosanes. She graduated from Hyde Park High School, Chicago, Class of1948, Beloit College in 1952 with BA in Speech and Theater, and received a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of California, Sacramento, and another master’s in education from Northern Illinois University. She was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.

In 1953, she married Max Rahn and moved to Lanark Illinois where she taught high school English and directed school plays. Later, she taught Spanish and was the district librarian, at Milledgeville High School for 27 years before retiring in1994. During her time in Milledgeville, she introduced the world to many students, taking them on trips to Mexico. She was the first teacher to teach Spanish over closed-circuit TV to students in Lanark (Eastland) and Chadwick in the 80’s, long before the internet. As a result, she was honored and featured at state teachers conferences for being ahead of the times.

Along with being a great educator, she loved theater. In 1961, Dorothea became one of the founding board members of Timber Lake Playhouse and remained active in its running for 45 years. Especially when the theater was destroyed by fire, she spearheaded the fundraising efforts to rebuild it. She held every executive position on the board and could be seen occasionally on stage. Her involvement preoccupied much of her time away from teaching.

After retiring from teaching, she became the executive director of the Carroll County Senior Services Organization, 1997-2006, to reopen and organize services to the senior community. Additionally, she was on the board of the Blackhawk Waterways Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, taught Spanish classes for Highland College and was a sales consultant for World Book Education Products.

Travel was always her passion. In addition to trips around this country, she has been to Scandinavia, Europe, Peru, China, Cuba, Alaska and cruised through the Panama Canal, the western Caribbean and around the Baltic Sea.

Dorothea is predeceased by Max Rahn, her husband of 43 years, her parents, sister-in-law Doris (Rahn) Weig, and brother-in-law David Rahn. She is survived by her children; Clinton Rahn of Wauconda IL, Bradley Rahn of Chicago IL, and Kristen (Christopher) Thornton of St. Charles IL, Grandchildren; Stephanie Rahn, Samantha Rahn, Corinne Thornton, and Monica Thornton Palmer, her brother Albert Rosanes of Centerport, NY and sister-in-law Irene Rahn of Mt. Morris, IL.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 4th, at the Lanark United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 3rd, at the Law Jones Funeral Home in Lanark, as well as one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Lanark Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established in Dorothea's honor at Timberlake Playhouse.