Obituary of Dorothy Marie Eilerts

Dorothy Marie Eilerts was born on June 10, 1927, in Quincy, Illinois,the sixth child of Cecil A. and Ruth E Lowry. She was adopted in March 1928 by William and Lena Tipton. Her adoptive mother died on November 30, 1935. Dorothy graduated college with a BS in Education from Western Illinois University in 1948 and was a teacher until she entered St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1952. She was Confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church on May 17, 1953. In August of 1953, she entered the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and spent 10 years of her life in the Mother House in Algiers and missions in Uganda and Ghana. In 1963, she left the Order and returned to the United States. She attended Rutgers University where she earned her Master’s Degree in Education in 1964 and her Doctorate of Education in 1969. She worked as a Math Teacher, Guidance Counselor, Guidance Director and a Director of Student Personnel Services during her career. After retiring from education, she worked for the State of NJ as a Data Processing Analyst. On January 10, 1995 Dorothy married Earl Eilerts, after a 4 and ½ year courtship. Earl Eilerts died on September 2, 1999. In an account of her life, Dorothy stated “that date marked a profound change in her spiritual life.” In 2001, Dorothy became a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS). In this Community, she found great love and spiritual sisterhood. She was involved with Renew 2000, a Eucharistic Minister for a nursing home and volunteered at St Vincent DePaul Society at Sacred Heart Church in Mount Holly. She has resided at Crestwood Manor Nursing Home since 2013. She left this world for her Eternal Home on Oct 16, 2020. A Memorial Mass will be offered for Dorothy on Tuesday, October 27th at 10:45 a.m. at the All Saints Chapel of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 30 Schoolhouse Road, Whiting, NJ. Inurnment will follow at the chapel.