Dorothy Zehnder Obituary, Death – Dorothy Zehnder, the much-loved matriarch of the Zehnder family that owns the Bavarian Inn, passed away on Sunday, July 9, at her home in Frankenmuth, with members of her family by her side. She has been a member of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church for her entire life. Over the course of more than 85 years, Zehnder worked both behind the scenes and as the public face of the well-known Bavarian Inn family as well as the numerous community and business endeavours that operated under the family’s name. She was born on December 1st, 1921 in the town of Reese, which is located in the state of Michigan around 10 miles north of Frankenmuth.
The St. Lorenz Lutheran Church will be the location of the funeral ceremonies to be held. Her family will provide other information at a later time. St. Lorenz Cemetery will be the location of her burial, and she will be laid to rest next to her husband of 63 years, William “Tiny” Zehnder, who passed away in 2006. It is possible to make contributions to St. Lorenz Church as well as to Frankenmuth City Beautification.
Dorothy is survived by her brother Ray Hecht, her two children Bill (Karen) Zehnder and Roxie (Jerry) Westgate, and her son-in-law Don Keller, in addition to ten grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren. Her husband William “Tiny” Zehnder, her sister Edna (Hecht) Hegenauer, and her daughter Judy Zehnder Keller all passed away before her. She was the last surviving member of her family.
The family has issued a statement which reads as follows: We are heartbroken by the loss of our cherished mother, grandmother, and matriarch of the family. We would like to express our gratitude to the town of Frankenmuth for all of their support and ask that you assist us in remembering Dorothy as the incredible woman that she was and as someone who will always be in our hearts. Our ancestors will honour Dorothy’s memory and the contributions she made to this community by carrying on her legacy.
Over the course of more than a century, Dorothy left her impact on this planet, and she will be missed. She was a genuine icon for the state of Michigan because of the way she conducted herself in her personal life, in her professional life, and in her spiritual life.
