Dorothy "Dottie" Stratman (Esswein)

Dorothy “Dottie” Stratman (Esswein) went to her heavenly home at the age of ninety-seven on April 2, 2024.  She was born in the family home of her parents, Carl and Edna Hempelman in Quincy, Illinois on September 3, 1926.  She was blessed to have four sisters, an older sister Bonnie Peters, and three younger sisters, Phyllis Wolter, Susie Kaessen and Kay Hamlin.

Dottie was baptized on September 26, 1926 at St. James Lutheran Church in Quincy.  She was also confirmed at St. James in March of 1940, and then graduated from Quincy Senior High School in June 1944.

She met Wilbert “Bill” Eugene Esswein, on a Walther League hayride, and they married at St. James Lutheran, on September 25, 1948.  Dottie and Bill lived in Quincy, until Bill took a job with McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis in 1952.  Two sons were born in Quincy, Dan and Tom, and then two more children, Jim and Jane, were born while living in St. Louis.

In August of 1962, Bill accepted a relocation assignment with McDonnell to move to Long Beach, California. The house that Dottie and Bill purchased in Long Beach is the same home she lived in, until she moved to an assisted living facility in 2019.  They were married for almost 47 years until Bill passed away in July of 1994.

Dottie’s heart for God was always so evident, particularly in her service for Him.  She served more than 40 years teaching 1st Grade Sunday School classes.  She began teaching at St. James in Quincy, then taught at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in St. Louis, and lastly at Bethany Lutheran for 27 years. After her Sunday School teaching days ended, she also enjoyed serving at Bethany with the Braille ministry, and then coordinating the Bethany Cradle Roll program.  She was a dedicated prayer-warrior for her family and so many others. She always had her Bible and Portals of Prayer sitting on the table next to her favorite chair.

Dottie loved being a homemaker for Bill and her children.  Hospitality was certainly one of her spiritual gifts, as her home was always welcoming and inviting to everyone.  She took great joy in cooking, baking, sewing, and organizing the family routines for chores.  She was such a great cook that she received an award from the Long Beach Press Telegram newspaper, for her special coconut igloos dessert recipe, which included winning a new stove (avocado green)!

Dottie was also talented in detailed cross-stitching.  Each year she would make personalized Christmas ornaments for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many other special friends.

While in Quincy in 1997, Dottie reconnected with several friends from high school while visiting with her sisters.  During that visit, Hardin Stratman asked her out on a date.  Once she arrived back home to Long Beach, they continued to talk frequently by phone, and realized that their relationship was becoming serious.  They were married by Pastor Nathan Loesch at Bethany on February 7, 1998.   Dottie and Hardin were married for only 2-1/2 years before he passed away.

Dottie’s heart was especially tender for her granddaughter, Brianna Esswein.  Brianna was called by God to serve as a missionary midwife in Nigeria, and went home to heaven in December 2005. Dottie would recount her memory of saying good bye to Brianna after the wedding of granddaughter, Lindsay to Kenny Laning in August 2005.  Dottie wore a beautiful dress at that occasion, and then decided to wear it at subsequent weddings for her grandchildren.

One of Dottie’s favorite bible verses, highlights how God blessed her life here on earth.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”   3 John:4

Dottie is survived by her four children and their spouses:  Daniel and Mary Kay (Schmedake) Esswein; Thomas and Sheri (Petersen) Esswein; James and Marcia (Gierhan) Esswein and Clark and Jane (Esswein) Pearson, as well as eight grandchildren and their spouses: Kenny and Lindsay (Esswein) Laning; Aaron and Krista (Esswein) Ophaug; Matt and Sarah (Gothold) Esswein; Parker and Jennifer (Pearson) Chaffee; Sean and Kelsey (McCroskey ) Esswein; Eric and Kim (Pearson) Solomon; Austin and Makenna (Portuguez) Esswein; Scott and Ariana (Sadeghipour) Esswein and seventeen great-grandchildren:  Lauren, Hudson and Roman Laning; Julia and Cole Ophaug; Nora, Juniper, and Evangeline Esswein; Jace, Autumn, Dakota and Paige Esswein; Emma, Karli and Laila Esswein; Benjamin and Samuel Solomon.  She is also survived by two sisters:  Phyllis Wolter and Kay Hamlin.