Dolores Ann Haering was born August 18, 1926 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of Arno and Loretta (nee Daum) Haering. She attended Rufus King High School and then went to college for two years at Marquette University and the last two years at UW Madison, where she graduated with a speech and language major.
On November 25, 1948, Thanksgiving Day, Dolores married Doctor Walther W. Meyer at the Church of the Epiphany in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
They made their home in Medford, WI for 60 years before Walther’s death in 2009.
After being involved in community volunteer work for 25 years, Dolores (Dee) became interested in politics by attending local party meetings. Her list of accomplishments is huge. As an active member of the Republican Party she served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the party in Taylor County, was 7th Congressional District Vice Chairman, and was a member of the State Executive Committee. She was an alternate delegate in 1968 and a delegate in 1976 to the Republican National Convention. She was nominated the Presidential Elector for Wisconsin in 1976 and attended the Midwest Governors Conference with Governor Dreyfus in 1977. She has served on and coordinated campaigns for Melvin Laird, Alexander Wiley, Robert Warren, Warren Knowles, Jack Olsen, Lee Dreyfus, Tommy Thompson and Terry Kohler, at the state level; Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, and John Connally in their respective Presidential bids.
Dolores served 4 terms as Mayor of the City of Medford. During office she was actively involved in several planning commissions, the police and fire commission, and Economic Development. She served 4 terms as alderman supervisor on the Medford City Council and the Taylor County Board of Supervisors. Dee was the first woman elected to either body. She served as president of the Medford Public Library and was on the Board of Trustees for 15 years. She also served statewide on various library services. She has been a member of BPW, Woman’s Auxiliary to the State Medical Society, Taylor County Red Cross, and the Performing Arts Association of Medford. She was a member of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church and The Ladies of Immanuel. Dee started a small business in a historic building in downtown Medford called the Angel Flight. She had a unique eye for the unusual and collected new and old gifts for her antique store. As a result of all the above and more, Dee is a past recipient of the Medford Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dee is survived by her 4 children: Kristin Meyer, Donnelly, Idaho, Walther Meyer Jr., (Lauri) Westboro, WI, George F. Meyer II, Minneapolis, MN, Ann (Paul) Egge, Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Dee is survived by 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, 2 nieces and 2 nephews, 8 cousins, one brother, Arno (Bill) (Judy) Haering of Wausau, WI, and one brother-in-law, William Meyer, LaCrosse, WI.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Walther on March 30, 2009, and her parents Arno and Loretta.
Dee shared with her “country doctor” husband, his interests in conservation, tree-farming, wild-life ponds and marsh development, and extensive miles of cross country ski trails at Trail Farm. A highlight of her community involvement in Medford was the development of the River Walk along the Mill Pond including the bridges, flowers, gazebo, picnic tables, grills, and fishing dock.
“Mom will be remembered for all the interests she had in life, one of the most notable was her love of cooking for her family. She was an incredible cook, loved to entertain and made every family gathering a memorable occasion. She was an avid reader, gardener, crafter and artist. One of her great joys in life was exploring Wisconsin’s country roads for the unique and unusual. She loved the search to find things for her store and she could find beauty in the simplest things. Her 4 children, and their children have homes full of Mom’s artistic creations. She will be dearly missed, but our memories are all around us.”
“Thank you for your love and other gifts in our lives, beauty, grace, courage, joy, spontaneity, passion….., and a ferocious love of life.”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to the family, C/O Ann Egge, 811 Witter St., Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494 for the Medford River Walk development fund established in her name. For online condolences, please visit hemerfuneralservice.com.
