Dolores R. Merten

Dolores (nee Wentzek) Merten, 89, passed away on Sunday, January 14th in Holland, Michigan. Dolores was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on February 11, 1928 to the late Wilhelm and Amanda (Graumann) Wentzek. Her parents moved to Germany when she was an infant and she grew up in Northern Germany. In her late teens, Dolores moved back to the US and lived with relatives in Michigan and Wisconsin. She worked first in a Ford plant in Detroit and later at Coopers (now Jockey International). On July 1, 1950 she married Philip Merten in Kenosha, Wisconsin. While raising her family, Dolores was very active in St. Mary's Catholic Church and School as well as Mount Carmel School. After her children were grown, she went back to work first at Wickes Financial Services and later at Younkers department store where she has worked for the past 25 years both in Racine, Wisconsin and most recently Holland, Michigan. Dolores, best known by many family and friends as Oma, made friends wherever she went. She loved to knit, crochet, and do needle work of all types. She never missed Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy and was also an avid sports fan, but especially the Chicago Cubs and all University of Notre Dame sports teams. Dolores is survived by her children, Diana (John) Bourke, Dale Merten and Dean (Denise) Merten; her grandchildren Christopher and Jennie (Barchfeld) Bourke, Kevin and Kristina (Vogel) Bourke, and Matthew Johnson; and her great-grandchildren Abigail, Brooklyn, Benjamin and Kennedy Bourke. She is also survived by a brother, William (Elizabeth) Wentzek of Beaverton, Oregon and two sisters in Germany, Renate (Bernhard) Behnke and Marianne Heinke. "Oma" will also be missed by many nieces, nephews, family and friends. Dolores was preceded in death by her husband, Philip F. Merten, her parents, and many sisters- and brothers-in-law. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St. Holland. Funeral services will be held in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Benjamin's Hope (Benjaminshope.net) in Holland, Michigan or the Kenosha Achievement Center (theKac.com) in Kenosha, Wisconsin. www.langelandsterenberg.com.

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Dolores R. Merten

February 11, 1928 - January 14, 2018