Mary D. Dickerhoff

Mary D. “Pang Pong” Dickerhoff

Born November 25, 1929 and died April 25, 2014.  Mary passed away in her home at Lake of the Woods after a long battle of failing health.  She was preceded in death by her parents Marguerite “Babe” Jarrett and Julius Geleide, a brother, Kenneth Geleide and a step son, Terry Dickerhoff.

Mary is survived by her husband of 51 years Wayne Dickerhoff, her half-sister Julie Franco of Henderson NV.  Three children, Dennis Lozier of Green Valley, AZ, Diana (William) Beane of Lake Saint Louis, MO and Douglas (Angelica) Lozier of Green Valley, AZ.  Three step-children, Debbie Littleton of Pendleton, SC, Beth Trzcinski of Fishers, IN and Amy Howell of Bridge Port, OH., seven grandchildren, Dennis Lozier II of Atlanta, GA, Carri (Thomas) Sheets of South Bend, IN, Renee Davis of Winfield, MO, Shelly (Dave) Gunterman-McCammond of Wentzville, MO., Dandi (Jay) Reppert of Osceola, IN., Derek and Diego Lozier of Green Valley, AZ., eight great grandchildren, Ariel and Ryan Sheets, Justin Gunterman, Noah Davis, Devin Lozier Wishart, Kyle, Kole and Kooper Reppert.

Mary’s life was full of adventure starting with her employment at a Kingsbury Munition plant during WWII making shells for the war.  In 1962 she completed cosmetology school and became an instructor in both Indiana and Michigan.  On July 27, 1963 she married the love of her life and together they built an amazing story.  In 1964 they opened Lake of the Woods Camp Ground and Marina on the north end of the lake, in 1967 Wayne and Mary moved to Michigan where she co-managed a beauty college in Benton Harbor.  In 1972 they moved to Mexico and opened a factory where Mary helped train more than 400 employees.  Missing their family, they returned to Lake of the Woods in 1975 and opened a wiring manufacture, DLS in Bremen, IN., where she served as the VP and Financial Manager until they sold the plant in 1979.  In 1979 Wayne and Mary decided to venture into the real estate market.  They purchased, restored, rented and sold more than 18 homes over the years.  This venture was their true passion, they just loved helping people.  In 1982 Wayne and Mary purchased and operated Casey’s Nightclub in Plymouth, IN. until they sold it in 1988.  Finally in 1989 they retired and relied on their rental homes to occupy their time.  In 2007 they decided the Indiana winters were just too hard on them and became “snowbirds”, spending the summers at Mary’s beloved Lake of the Woods and winters in Green Valley, AZ.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Hartland Hospice, so many friends and neighbors, but especially to Anna & Jeff Brinkman.  Anna, we would not have been able to do this without you, thank you just doesn’t begin to express how we feel.

As Mary did all of her life, helping people was always at the top of her mind.  This carried over into her death.  It was Mary’s desire to donate her body to medicine; her body was sent to the IU School of Medicine for research.  There will be no services at this time; Mary wanted everyone to remember her as she was alive, spunky and full of life .  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your charity of choice.