Dorothy L. (Dori) Traverse, nee’ Muller, age 98, of Wausau, Wisconsin (formerly of Kentwood, Michigan) went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 13, 2018. Dorothy was born June 11, 1920 to the late Henri and Lina (Biber) Muller of Toronto, Canada. Dori grew up in Toronto, graduated from Malvern Collegiate Institute, (lower, middle and upper levels), and from Weller College with a diploma in Secretarial Studies.
Dorothy met Duane Traverse from Constantine, Michigan in Washington DC while visiting friends in the area. Married in 1954, they first resided in Lansing, Michigan and then in Grand Rapids. Health reasons forced a move from Kentwood, Michigan to Wausau, Wisconsin in late 2016 where Dorothy lived with their daughter Valerie Buch and family.
Dori first worked as an executive secretary for Charters Publishing and then The University of Toronto, Dept. of Epidemiology. After marriage she worked for Michigan State College, Dept.
of Economics. Dori devoted her life to her family; staying home after the birth of their first child. She was a room mother at the elementary school, and supported the music, scouting and sporting events her children and grandchildren were involved in.
She enjoyed fine dining, travelogues and musical performances. She loved to see marching bands. She excelled in all areas of homemaking especially cooking, baking and sewing.
Dori was still trying new recipes well into her 90’s. She truly was a Proverbs 31 Woman! After Duane’s retirement they were able to travel to the coasts of both the US and Canada, to the British Isles and to visit family in France and Switzerland.
Dori received much pleasure from being with her entire family. She doted on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She never wanted to forget a special event in their lives.
She is well known for the cards and letters she wrote to all. In later years as her eyesight failed she remembered them with phone calls. Dori made sure that all family events were catalogued through photos and then made albums to remember the family times.
Dori was preceded in death by her husband Duane A. Traverse in May 2018, her parents; 3 sisters: Alice (Jair) Hall, Miriam (Gordon) Stanley, Marguerite (Murray) Lynn and one brother Walter (Pat) Muller. Dori is survived by her children Ross (Diane) Traverse, Middleville, MI, Valerie (Paul) Buch, Wausau, WI and Neil (Linda) Traverse, Colgate, WI; Her grandchildren Laura Jennings, Jeremy (Annie) Traverse, Josh (Anna) Traverse, Kaitlin (Nick) Tomkins, Hallie Traverse, Mia Traverse, Matthew Buch and Bethany (Nate) Hettinga; and great-grandchildren Lily, Chavah, Ezra and Matthias Traverse. Visitation for friends in the Wausau area will be at Helke Funeral Home (Wausau) on Friday, June 22, from 6-8PM.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 30, at Zaagman Memorial Chapel, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Visitations will be held from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm on June 29, 2018 and again from 10:00 am until the time of services on Saturday, at Zaagman Memorial Chapel, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Graveside services will be held at Pine Hill Cemetery (Kentwood) following the service.
Donations in memory of Dorothy may be sent to Beacon Bible Camp (Torrance, Ontario, Canada beaconbiblecamp.com/donate/) or to St. Jude’s Hospital. Mom, your life was a blessing, Your memory a treasure, You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.
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