Dorothy M. Lower

Dorothy M. Lower, of Lanark, passed away Thursday, July 8th, at Allure Nursing Home in Mt. Carroll. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, December 5th, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lanark. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, December 5th, at the church prior to the service. Masks will be required by all who attend.

Dorothy was born October 25th, 1932, daughter of Charles and Edna (Krusey) Diffenderfer. She lived in Lanark her entire life, and attended Lanark schools. At a young age Dorothy met the love of her life, Donald Ray Lower. The couple soon married, and together raised one daughter and celebrated 65 years of marriage until Ray’s passing in 2014.

Dorothy has been a member of the Lutheran Church in Lanark for over 25 years. She has also been a member of WELCA for just as long. Dorothy especially enjoyed quilting for the WELCA quilting drives, providing blankets and quilts to the needy. Dorothy’s faith was central to her life, she was Christian in every sense. People have described Dorothy as “so sweet”. No one ever had anything bad to say about her. Dorothy was caring, generous, and loved being a grandmother and great-grandmother. Family was the absolute joy of her life.

Dorothy will be dearly missed by her son-in-law, David (Jill) Shaulis of Lanark, IL; three grandchildren, Jennifer (Patrick) Hughes of Lubbock, TX, Kristen (Nina) Tatum of Rockford, IL, Betsy (Kipp Meyers) Shaulis of Lanark, IL; and three great-grandchildren, Jack, Mary Kathleen, and Elizabeth Hughes all of Lubbock, TX; one brother, Richard Diffenderfer of Winslow, IL; three sisters, Betty Derrer of Shannon IL, Carol (Rex) Sturtevant of Lanark, IL, and Karen (David) Sloan of Lanark, IL Dorothy is preceded in death by her beloved daughter Kathleen Shaulis; her husband, Donald Ray Lower; her brother, Tommy (Patricia) Diffenderfer; two brothers-in-law, Glen Derrer, and Tim Lower; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Diffenderfer; and her parents Charles and Edna.