Dorothy Marie Wise

Dorothy Marie Wise, 97, died in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on March 3, 2026. Born to John G. Kitzelman and Marie Frerichs Kitzelman, she was the third of seven children. Her father was the pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran Church near Beatrice, Nebraska. Dorothy attended a rural grade 1-8 school, and she graduated from Beatrice High School.

After a brief marriage, Dorothy, along with her infant son, Audie, moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where she worked for four decades at Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph, rising from a clerical position to a cable plotting job that had previously been held exclusively by men.

One of Dorothy’s proudest accomplishments was building a spacious home to serve as a gathering place for her large extended family. Her son, Audie, his wife Suzanne, and their son, John, lived nearby, enabling Dorothy to share in John’s care and activities, which brought her great joy. Maintaining her yard, garden, and bird feeders provided much pleasure.

Travel was one of Dorothy’s passions. Throughout Audie’s youth, she initiated many adventures, including a road trip in their VW Beetle to the 1965 New York World’s Fair. They visited parks along the way, often sleeping in lawn chairs Dorothy had brought for that purpose. Dorothy met her goal of traveling to every continent except Antarctica, often accompanied by one of her sisters. When she could no longer travel, she continued learning through the adventures of her family.

Dorothy was an active member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lincoln and a Nebraska Cornhusker football season ticket holder for more than 50 years. In her later years, she remained a tribalist Cornhusker fan, calling her grandson, John, to get an update about, and the final score of, every game.

When Dorothy lost most of her sight in 2013, she moved to Englewood, Colorado, to be close to many siblings, nieces and nephews, and she deeply appreciated the help and company of her family. Despite her disability, Dorothy remained active and positive in spirit. She maintained interest in current events and listened to audio books. Her memory was exceedingly sharp, recalling birthdays and other milestone events with ease. Dorothy’s care of others, and her determined, resilient, and adventurous spirit are an inspiration.

Dorothy was preceded in death by parents John G. and Marie Kitzelman; son Audie Jerome Wise; sisters Esther Halbert, Louise Larson, Ruth Dodd and brother Alfred Kitzelman. She is survived by grandson John Wise, daughter-in-law Suzanne Wise; sisters Lillian Owens and Marian Nichols (Fred); sister-in-law Kathy Kitzelman, many nieces and nephews, and cousins in Germany.

Donations may be sent to Colorado Talking Book Library, 180 Sheridan Blvd., Denver, CO 80226 and to Bloom Hospice, 12600 West Colfax Ave., Suite B200, Lakewood, CO 80215.

There will be a graveside service at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery the morning of June 19, 2026.

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