Dorothy June (Krinker) Buchholz

Dorothy J. Buchholz (nee Krinker), 92, of Algonquin died Tuesday, July 11, 2017, in JourneyCare Hospice at Good Shepherd Hospital after a short illness. Born January 25, 1925 in Chicago, she formerly lived in Wheeling, Mount Prospect and Fox River Grove before residing in Eastgate Manor Supportive Living in Algonquin. She was a 1943 graduate of Luther Institute High School, where she was a member of the self-proclaimed eight member, “8 Ball Club.” She worked in the cafeteria during lunch and was in several school plays. She took tap dancing and was good at acrobatics, especially doing flips. All throughout her school years she attended Walther League. During her high school years, she worked after school or evenings as a waitress at a local restaurant, Case Moody Pies and Montgomery Wards during the summer. In 1941, at 16 she and her first cousin, June Rose (Harder), 17, left June's Whiting, Indiana home on a bike trip to Terre Haute, Indiana to visit their cousins. They stopped at homes along the way that rented out rooms for the night. Due to gas rationing during the war, virtually no cars were on the road. It took two and a half days, 180 miles and a trip through the hills of Turkey Run to reach their destination. They were featured in the Terre Haute and Whiting newspapers. Through the war years, Dorothy worked at Lakeview Trust and Savings in Chicago for 10 years as a Bookkeeper, than promoted to Supervisor of the Department. There, she earned the nickname Polly, “Because a parrot never shuts up!” During the war she dated sailors, but married an airman upon his return from the war. He had a crush on her throughout childhood and high school. They, like many after the war years, moved from the city to the suburbs in 1956. She was a member of the Meadowbrook Women's Club in Wheeling. She narrated fashion shows and helped build two floats for the Republican Party for Holiday parades in the village. When the family moved to Mount Prospect, she worked the precinct poles for five years in Cary. Sporting the original “Farrah Fawcett” smile, she was very photogenic and her picture graced the window of a local photo studio in Chicago. She will forever be remembered for always smiling and laughing, her enormous generosity, kindness, witty humor and big heart. Her children and grandchildren were the joy of her life and a source of great pride. Survivors include her four children, Barbara J. (Robert) Clements of Algonquin, Sharon J. (George) Hahne of Cary, Lisa G. Powell of Carpentersville and Mark P. Buchholz of Fox River Grove; and three grandchildren, Matthew Clements, Caitlin Hahne and Jordanne Powell. She also is survived by nieces, nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Wayland L. Buchholz; her parents, Reinhold and Martha (Wittke) Krinker, a brother, Roland R. Krinker; a sister, Nancy R. Althafer (Krinker) and infamous bike trip partner, first cousin, June Rose (Harder). Visitation will be on Monday, July 17, 2017, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 149 W. Main St. (Lake-Cook Rd), Barrington. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 300 Jefferson St., Algonquin, beginning with a viewing at 9 a.m. Burial will be at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W Hoff Rd., Elwood (Joliet), IL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Mrs. Buchholz’s name to St. John's Lutheran Church in Algonquin or JourneyCare Foundation, 2050 Claire Ct., Glenview, IL 60025.