Dorothy Katrein

Dorothy (Eichelkraut) Katrein passed away peacefully with family members present on September 20, 2014 at the age of 97. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 am Friday, September 26, 2014 at St. Columba Church. Her visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, September 25, 2014 at Ottawa Funeral Home and Crematory. She will be buried in St. Columba Cemetery with military honors. She was born on March 29, 1917, to Frank and Isabelle Boyle Eichelkraut, and grew up in Ottawa. Dorothy is a graduate of Ottawa High School, St. Elizabeth's Hospital School of Nursing in Washington, D.C., and Mercy Hospital School of Anesthesia in Chicago. She enlisted in the US Army Nurse Corps in 1943 and spent two years in the service, nine months of which were spent in England and France as an anesthetist. She had achieved the rank of First Lieutenant by the time of her discharge. After the war, she became re-acquainted with Marty Katrein of Ottawa, and they were married on January 12, 1946. After her wedding, she continued her work as a Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Ryburn King/Ottawa Memorial Hospital. She and Marty raised eight children and she always made friends feel welcome. The Katrein household was known as the neighborhood meeting place. Following retirement, she and Marty moved to Englewood, Florida. True to her nature, Dorothy didn't quit. She volunteered in schools, helping students who were new to the English language. She also volunteered in local health clinics. In 2003, she moved back to Ottawa and resided at Pleasant View Luther Home. Dorothy is survived by seven sons and one daughter: Peter of Mesa, Arizona; Martin of Dallas, Texas; Mark of Missoula, Montana; Keith of Agana, Guam; David of Englewood, Florida; Kenneth of Ottawa; Kevin of Ottawa; and Nancy (Katrein) Michal of Yorba Linda, California. She has 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.