In Loving Memory

Dorothy Mae (Guilfoyle) Ziese

Dorothy Mae (Guilfoyle) Ziese
February 17, 1926
September 25, 2019
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Obituary

Dorothy Mae (Guilfoyle) Ziese, 93, of Brenham, passed away on September 25, 2019.

Visitation will be Saturday, September 28, 2019, from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm, at Brenham Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be held Sunday, September 29, 2019, at 3:00 pm, at Christ Lutheran Church, with Pastors Mark Groves and Walt Schindehette officiating. Interment will follow at Prairie Lea Cemetery.

Dorothy was born to parents Guy and Minna (Reinhardt) Guilfoyle on February 17, 1926. Dorothy was born and grew up in Houston, spending most of her childhood in the Heights area. She was a lifelong Lutheran, having been baptized at First Evangelical Lutheran Church on April 17, 1938.

She attended school at Heights High School and Incarnate Word Academy in Houston. On a blind date in 1947, Dorothy met her future husband Roland Ziese. They were united in marriage on August 7, 1948. They made their home in Houston, and raised their sons Paul and Charles. Dorothy returned to work when her sons were in middle school.

Dorothy and Roland moved to Bellville in 1981, and after they fully retired, found their way home to Brenham. Dorothy and Roland enjoyed being involved in their church and community, and especially enjoyed going dancing with friends. In later years, as Roland’s health declined, Dorothy was a faithful and loving caregiver.

Dorothy was an incredibly loving and giving person who was known for her generosity. She truly lived her life in service of others. She was a talented seamstress, and shared her skills by lovingly creating paraments for Christ Lutheran Church and the chapel at Kruse Memorial Lutheran Village, outfits for her grandchildren, and hundreds of items she donated to Lutheran World Relief. Dorothy was a faithful member of Christ Lutheran Church. She could often be found visiting shut-ins, doing everything she could to lift their spirits. Dorothy’s hospitality was well known; she enjoyed opening her home to friends and family for get-togethers. Dorothy’s greatest love in life was her family. She took great pride in her children and grand-children, and was thrilled to be able to attend graduations, weddings, and musical performances. She loved any excuse to spend time with her family.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband Roland in 2004; her parents; and brothers Guy Guilfoyle, Jr., and Fred Guilfoyle.

Surviving loving family includes sons Paul Ziese and wife Lynn, of San Antonio, TX, Charles Ziese of Harrisburg, PA; grandchildren and their spouses, Rachel Ziese Hacker and husband Matthew of Kohler, WI, Jonathan Perrotta Ziese and wife Christine of Tempe, AZ, Timothy Aaron Ziese and wife Felicity Brown of Rockville, MD, James Henry Ziese and wife Amber of Crescent, PA, Charles Kennedy Ziese of Carnegie, PA; six great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Frances Guilfoyle of Friendswood, TX, and Gloria Guilfoyle of Tyler, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff and congregation at Christ Lutheran Church, who provided Dorothy with a close-knit and loving community that she treasured. If you wish to make a donation in memory of Dorothy, please consider the Ziese Seminary Memorial Fund at Christ Lutheran Church.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX 77833. Tributes may be shared at www.BrenhamMemorialChapel.com.