Memorial
Dorothy E. Gongwer, 102, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Sunday, August 18, 2019 at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 2:00 PM at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery Section: Greenlawn with Rev. Brad Brown officiating.
Dorothy Elizabeth Gongwer was born on November 4, 1916 to Jay and Clara Hohman Felgar in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dorothy graduated from Grant High School in 1934 and then attended Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. She enjoyed many years of nursing at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN; doing general and private duty. She often tells about a patient with pneumonia who rapidly recovered after receiving newly discovered penicillin. She also worked for Dr. BF Wolverton as an office and lab nurse. She taught Home Nursing at YWCA during WWII and worked in Beloit, WI for VNA and part time as an industrial nurse for Warner Electric Brake Company. She owned and operated Jack and Jill Preschool Inc. for 20 years.
She married Jack Park in 1942 and later divorced. On September 29, 1950, she was united in marriage to Simon Gongwer; who passed away December 5, 2003.
She is survived by children, John (Pat) Park of Lake Havasu City, AZ; Gregg (significant other, Dee DeHaven) of Delhi; and Gary Gongwer of Austin, TX; grandchildren, Jim (Andrea) Park, Renee (Joel) Schwamman, Brittney (Linnie) Weems; great grandchildren, Eli, Gracie, Aubree, Johnathan, Alex, Tanisha, and Dominque; and great-great grandchildren, Elliot, Jameson, Abbi and Killian.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to Concordia Lutheran Church or the charity of choice.