Dorothy R. Klaucke, 88, Dies

Dorothy R. “Dot” Klaucke, 88, of Worcester, died on Saturday, June 23 after a short illness. Her husband of 57 years, Rowland Klaucke, died in December 2001.

She is survived by her two sons, Ronald Klaucke and his wife Susan of Auburn and their two sons, Christian Klaucke and Dr. Jonathan Klaucke, M.D.; and her other son, Robert Klaucke, with whom she lived. She was born in Corsica, PA, the only daughter of Myrtle and Merrill Ehler. She graduated from the local high school and began taking clerical courses in an area college.

After passing a civil service exam, and due to the high demand for workers during wartime, she was called to Washington, D.C., where she began in the Federal Government Printing Office. While there, she met and married her husband, an Army serviceman.

Shortly after WWII ended and her husband was discharged from the Army, they moved to Worcester, where she has lived for the last 67 years. Dot worked locally for both Grants and Woolworth’s Department Stores. She would later work as a pharmaceutical clerk at Memorial Hospital in Worcester, retiring 15 years later. She then began caring for two very young children, Rebecca and James, while their parents Helen and John O’Connor of Shrewsbury, worked. The bond of friendship grew very strong and the O’Connor family became an important part of her “extended” family.

In earlier years, she and her husband were active in Adam Square Congregational Church. She enjoyed holiday gatherings with family and dinner outing with friends. For a number of years, she looked forward to playing cards with her weekly poker group and the annual trip to Saratoga, NY for a vacation that included a visit to the racetrack.

Visiting hours for Dot will be held on Saturday morning, June 30 from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. in Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation St., Worcester. A Funeral Service will follow at 11:30 a.m. in the funeral home. Interment, next to her husband, in Worcester County Memorial Park, will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers donations in her memory may be made to The Rose Monahan Hospice in care of VNA Care Network & Hospice, Development Office, 5 Federal St., Danvers, MA 01923.