Dorothea Merle Seydel ^{1 2 3 4 5}

  Birth Notes:

Name: Dorothea Merle Seydel
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 9 Aug 1916
Event Place: Iowa, United States
Event Place (Original): Iowa, United States
Gender: Female
Race: White
Father's Name: Jesse C. Seydel
Father's Birthplace: Iowa City, Iowa
Mother's Name: Lizzie Mae McLaughlen
Mother's Birthplace: Iowa
Certificate Number: v 1 p 300
Record Number: 102

Citing this Record
"Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XV8Q-QM5 : 1 April 2020), Lizzie Mae McLaughlen in entry for Dorothea Merle Seydel, 9 Aug 1916; citing Iowa, United States; county district courts, Iowa; FHL microfilm 986,020.
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  Death Notes:

Name: Dorothea M Lawson
Given Name: Dorothea M
Surname: Lawson
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 01 Nov 2010
Event Place: Dane, Wisconsin
Event Place (Original): Dane, Wisconsin
Age: 94
Birth Date: 09 Aug 1916

Citing this Record
"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JK4J-3PD : 4 December 2020), Dorothea M Lawson, 01 Nov 2010; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
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  Noted events in her life were:

• She appeared on the 1920 US Census in Iowa City, IA on January 1920. ³

1920 US Census
Sheet 12A, District 93, Family 310
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Dorothea M. Seydel..Daughter..3..IA

(Living with parents.)
.

• She appeared on the 1930 US Census in Iowa City, IA on April 1930. ⁴

1930 US Census
Sheet 29B, District 16, Family 774, Roll 661
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa, United States
Dorothea Seydel..Daughter..13..IA

(Living with widowed mother.)
.

• She appeared on the 1940 US Census in Washington, IA on 16 April 1940. ¹

1940 US Census
Sheet 9A, District 92-24, Family 219, Roll 1211
Washington, Washington County, Iowa, United States
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
House rented, $20
Dorothea Lawson..Wife..24..IA..11th grade

(Living with husband, 3 children, and 1 niece.)
.

• Her obituary was published in the Ryan & Joyce-Ryan Funeral Home in November 2010 in Madison, WI.

MADISON \\\\ Dorothea Merle Lawson, age 94, passed away on Nov. 1, 2010 at Oak Park Place in Madison. Dorothea was born on August 9, 1916 to Jesse and Lizzie Mae Seydel in Iowa City, Iowa. She married Reginald L. Lawson in September of 1932. While residing in Washington, IA, she gave birth at home to four children, Dean, Pat, Olive "Dolly" and Duane in whom she instilled the values of love of family, faith, tolerance, generosity, education and a very strong work ethic. Dorothea was in every way her husband's partner in life, assisting him with inventory, bookkeeping in his business and accompanying him in his business travels. She was a master chef and seamstress, sewing dresses for a high end children's shop and making clothes for her daughters. Her flower and vegetable gardens flourished under her care. In the early 70's, she was a department head within Montgomery Ward and later managed the Fannie May Candy store at Hilldale. In their retirement, she and her husband became avid square dancers and bowlers, making many friends both here and in Harlingen, TX where they wintered. She was a member of the Christ Presbyterian Church since 1960.

Dorothea was preceded in death by her husband; her son, Dean; an infant granddaughter, Regina Lawson and nine siblings. She is survived by her three children: Pat (Anne Valentine) Carruthers, Madison, Olive (Larry) Colwell, Galesburg, IL and Duane (Rosemary) Lawson, Madison. She is further survived by fourteen grandchildren: Chris (Lynnette) Carruthers, Orem, UT, Jeff (Toni) Carruthers, Cottage Grove, Shari (Scott) Frank, Verona, Margalo (Judy) Willard, Surrey, BC, CA., Joshua Edwards, Sterling, MN, Wendy (Cecil) Wolfe, Cooperas Grove, TX, Jennifer (Andrew) Kane, Lake Villa, IL, Pamela (Ken) Walter, So. Korea, David (Stacey) Lawson, Shakopee, MN, Andrew (Tracey) Lawson, Greenfield, MN, Sarah (David) Henry, Minneapolis, MN, Mark (Dianna) Lawson, Elkhart, ID and Natalie (Ken) Kranzman, Watertown; 29 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Mildred Seydel of Moline, IL.

Her generosity, her wit, her smile and her love will be missed by all who knew and loved her. Special thanks go to the Oak Park Place staff for their loving care and especially to Scott and Shari Frank. A memorial will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, November 5, 2010 at the CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 944 E. Gorham Street. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service at the church on Friday. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oak Park Place, 718 Jupiter Dr., Madison, WI 53718.
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.

Dorothea married Reginald Loucks Lawson, son of Charles Reginald Lawson and Laura Jane Loucks, in September 1932.¹ (Reginald Loucks Lawson was born on 6 February 1913 in Colorado,^{1 6 7} died on 13 January 1990 in Madison, WI ^{6 7} and was buried after 13 January 1990 in Oakland Cemetery, Iowa City, IA ⁶.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1940 US Census in Washington, IA on 16 April 1940. ¹

1940 US Census
Sheet 9A, District 92-24, Family 219, Roll 1211
Washington, Washington County, Iowa, United States
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
House rented, $20
Reginald L. Lawson..Head..27..CO..2 years college..Asst. Mgr, Retail Dept. Store..earned $1645 in 1939
Dorothea Lawson..Wife..24..IA..11th grade
Dean Lawson..Son..6..IA
Patsy Ann Lawson..Daughter..3..IA
Olive Mae Lawson..Daughter..0..IA
Merle Seydel..Niece..14..IA..6th grade
.