“What we do for ourselves dies with us; what we do for families and communities lives long after we are gone.” ~Doris Wetters~ 1990
Doris E. Wetters passed away September 2, 2017 in Ocala, FL at the age of 88 after a lengthy illness. She was the youngest, and last surviving, of 10 children born to John and Clara Wetters of Huntington, Indiana.
Doris was not destined to be a “small town” girl as evidenced by her early travels, with her sister Vera, throughout the United States and Europe, working with and supporting the USO.
Education became her path to success. She received degrees from Ball State University (BA), The Ohio State University (MS) and a Doctorate in Education from Penn State University. Doris found her life-long vocational passion in the rapidly developing field of county home extension services.
This passion developed as she was on the faculty and worked with students at Cornell University. At the University of Hawaii, she worked as the Assistant Director of the Cooperative Extension Services. Her work home became Michigan State University where she worked for over 20 years, as a District Consumer Education Specialist, Assistant State Leader for Family Living Education Programs and retiring in 1991 as Assistant Director of Extension and Family and Consumer Services.
She was also active providing vision and leadership in many professional groups including The National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Services (NEAFCS) and the American (and Michigan) Association of Family and Consumer Services, in which she was honored as a 50-year Member.
While Doris received many honors and awards throughout her career, she was most proud of the Doris Wetters Fellowship Fund which she established prior to her retirement. The Fund, designed to provide professional development services and travel opportunities to MSU extension students and staff, who could then provide vision and leadership to improve the quality of consumer programs. To date over 100 recipients have benefited from this Fund.
After retiring, Doris split her time between her homes in Maui, Hawaii and in Old Mission, Michigan. She was active with the Old Mission Congregational Church, the Historical Society of the Grand Traverse Foundation, and the MSU Alumni Association. The quiet of Hawaii and its beautiful flowers and music was her love. Old Mission inspired rest, relaxation and the sounds of water on the shores.
Throughout all these responsibilities and the joy of retirement, Doris continued to support the activities of her friends and family. She seldom missed a family wedding, and never failed to get birthday and holiday cards out exactly on time!
When family needed her, Doris changed her winter home to Florida. There she had the family support and assistance of her nephew Paul Kannapel and his wife Marvel, who later became primary care givers during her illness.
Doris is survived by friends across the country as well as nieces and nephews who will miss her tremendously; but, all of us are better for having had her in our lives.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Friday November 17, 2017 at 11:00 am at Myers Funeral Home, 2901 Guilford Street, Huntington, Indiana 46750. The service will be followed by a graveside interment. A memorial service will be held in Michigan at a later date.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be directed to the Doris Wetters Fellowship Fund, MSU Foundation, 2727 Alliance Drive, Ste. C, Lansing, MI 48910, 517-353-9268 or to the Old Mission Congregational Church, 18687 Old Mission Rd, Old Mission, MI 49673, or to a charity of your choosing.