1927 ~ 2024
LAKE LEELANAUDorothy Cecilia Reicha, 97, of Lake Leelanau, passed away Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at Munson Medical Center.
Dorothy was born on May 5, 1927 in Suttons Bay, the daughter of August and Clara (Harp) Schaub.
On May 11, 1946, at St.
Mary’s Church of Lake Leelanau, she married Julian A. Reicha, who preceded her in death on April 22, 2002. Dorothy and Julian moved to Monroe, MI, and raised their family there. After Julian retired in 1977, they moved back to Leelanau County and built their dream house. Dorothy was a generous lady who loved to bake pies and always made sure to have enough to share with everyone.
She was talented in crafting, creating quilts that her family now treasures as heirlooms. She also made quilts to donate to patients at the Leelanau Memorial Hospital. In her later years, she enjoyed making potholders to give to friends and family. Dorothy was artistic, painting landscapes and, in her youth, she even baked and decorated wedding cakes for as little as $2.00 a cake. Dorothy had a green thumb and loved tending to her flower garden. She took great care of her family and cherished the time spent with her children. She also enjoyed traveling with her sister, Leona, and brother-in-law, Guy, taking trips anywhere from the UP to Florida. Later in life, she and Leona took bus trips to the casino, where Dorothy enjoyed playing.
She was a devoted card player, playing games like rummy, phase #10, and pepper, often three times a day. If you visited Dorothy, you were guaranteed a card game. She also enjoyed thrifting, going to garage sales, and collecting coffee cups and tea towels to give as gifts.
Dorothy cared for her father in his later years and was a woman of strong faith, being a lifelong parishioner of St. Mary’s.
Dorothy is survived by her four children, Diane (Michael) Gyarmati, Ronnie Reicha Sr., Arlene (David) Hege, and Janice (Robert) Wark; her siblings, Mildred Brockhuis, Albert Schaub, Irene (Jim) Hawkins, Gladys Dover, and Ralph ( Josa) Schaub; her grandchildren, Ronnie Reicha Jr., Robin (Tom) Henry, Michael (Andrea) Phanawong, Nolan Reicha, Nina Reicha, Jennifer (Patrick Piekarski) VanWagner, Matthew (Maria) VanWagner, Corey (Kirsten) VanWagner, Alex (Alyssa) Wark, Shannon (Joe) Ortegan, and John (Amy) Jacob; and many loving great-grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 55 years, Julian; her parents, August and Clara Schaub; her son, Walter Reicha; and her siblings, Theodore (Pauline) Schaub, Rosaline (Clifford) Kiessel, Leona (Guy) Salisbury, and Willard (Barbara) Schaub.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 13th at St. Mary’s Church of Lake Leelanau, with the family greeting friends one hour prior. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Father Ben Martin will serve as celebrant. Memorials in Dorothy’s honor may be directed to St. Mary’s School, PO Box 340, Lake Leelanau, MI 49653.
Please share memories and condolences with Dorothy’s family at www.martinson. info.
Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau.
