DOROTHY MERLE LOCHNER , 87, of Turlock, California, formerly of Meriden, Iowa, was called home by her Lord and Savior on Sunday, November 22, 2020 in Turlock, California.

Graveside services will be held on Monday, December 7, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at the Liberty Township Cemetery North of Meriden, Iowa. Pastor Larry Ostercamp will officiate. Visitation with the family present will be on Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Please practice social distancing. Masks will be required. Only 15 people will be allowed in the funeral home at a time. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Dorothy was born on February 26, 1933 in Meriden, Iowa to Henry and Merle Lochner. She was the second of eight children. During her high school days she loved and excelled in basketball and achieved state recognition for her play. She graduated from Meriden High School in 1951. After one year of attending Trinity Bible College in Chicago, she moved to Turlock, California.

Dorothy worked various jobs for three years to earn money for college. She graduated from Modesto Junior college in 1956 and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State in 1958. In 1971 she received her Master's degree in Counseling and Guidance from Chapman College.

Her love of Turlock brought her back to teach at Turlock High School for 30 years. She taught girl's physical education for 14 years and was a counselor for 16 years. Dorothy retired in 1988 after enjoying and touching the lives of thousands of students. She was a life member of the California Teachers Association and national Education Association.

Dorothy was a charter member of the Meriden Evangelical Free Church and was a member of Evangelical Free Church (Crossroads) for over 65 years. She served on the church's Administrative Board, Mission Committee, in Women's Ministry and taught Sunday school for many years. She also served 12 years on the National Free Church of America Board of Overseas Missions, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Dorothy was a volunteer at Emanuel Medical Center for a number of years. She also enjoyed assisting elderly people, particularly those without family. In her love for travel, she visited some of the mission fields, took freighter and other cruises to many parts of the world. The Holy Land trip was her favorite.

Dorothy moved to Covenant Village of Turlock, a senior retirement community in 2007, where she enjoyed all of the activities and benefits available. Her favorite activity was a Tuesday morning Bible study.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Joyce (Gerald) Hultman, Carol Hetrick, Shirley Lochner, and Lois Herron Van Wyk, brothers Dale Lochner, Richard (Peggy) Lochner, and Ronald Paul Lochner.

She is survived by her brother-in-law, Carey Hetrick of Cherokee, Iowa, a sister-in-law Marilyn Lochner of Lebanon, Missouri, many nieces and nephews and her friend and companion Verna Buerge of Turlock, California.