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Dorothee was born on July 31, 1927 in Wausau, WI to the late Fred and Madeline Buss. She graduated from high school in Depere WI and went on to Patricia Stevens Finishing School. After graduation she moved to Texas where she held the position of Executive Secretary to the President of Geophysical Laboratories, a division of Texas Instruments. She returned to the Green Bay area and worked for Clark Oil. It was at that time that she met her husband, Jim. They were married on May 6th 1961 at First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay where she sang in the choir and was an active member. While living in Green Bay, Dorothee and Jim started their family; two children – Suzette and Timothy. They lived for a short stint in Grand Rapids, MI and returned to Wisconsin to raise their children in Neenah. She was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Neenah where she developed many lasting friendships. After the children graduated from high school, Jim and Dorothee relocated to Kissimmee, FL to be closer to his parents. While Jim worked as an independent rep, Dorothee devoted her time to the Pink Lady group at Florida Hospital. She was honored for her ten years of service as both a volunteer and the president of the auxiliary. Again, she was an active member of her local church, St Cloud Presbyterian, where she was an elder and held several committee positions. During a visit to see their son, Timothy, who was building a house in Mooresville, Dorothee and Jim fell in love with the area and bought a house of their own there. As a member of Prospect Presbyterian Church, Dorothee was an active member in the Women’s Association and a leader of the Lettie Beatty Circle. She had many dear friends at church, and they in turn considered her a "gift from God." Dorothee was an avid reader, and she found interest in a wide variety of subjects. She was always finding meaningful articles and tidbits that she shared with her friends and family. She was a fantastic cook and loved collecting recipes which she used to provide delicious meals. During summer visits to Wisconsin, she and her daughter, Suzette, spent much quality time in the kitchen tasting and creating together. She loved to play cards and dominos. Dorothee was proud of her home and kept it as a show place where guests were always welcome. She kept the books and kept the family out of debt. Her favorite spot was the sun porch where she could relax while enjoying the birds and the scenery. Dorothee is survived by her husband, Jim, of 54 years, her son, Timothy of Huntersville, her daughter, Suzette (George) Curtis of Pickett WI, and her grandchildren Evan (Ariel) Whyte of Ripon, WI, and Erika (Christopher) Delfosse of Oshkosh, WI. Her dear sister, June Calewarts of Howard, WI along with her daughters Robyn (Stuart) Deardorff of Elm Grove, WI and Linda Calewarts of Howard, WI, further survive her as well as her brothers, Richard Buss and Raymond (Donna) Buss, both of Green Bay. Other survivors include cousins, nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews – all of whom she deeply loved. Dorothee was preceded in death by her parents, her eldest brother, Fred Buss, her brother-in-law, Robert Calewarts, and her sister-in-law, Beverly Buss. There will be a grave site service for the immediate family and invited guests at the VA cemetery in Salisbury NC at 1 pm on January 22. She will also be remembered with a commendation ceremony during the regular church service at 11am at Prospect Presbyterian Church in Mooresville on Sunday January 24th. The family would like to give a special thanks to all the staff and volunteers of Serenity House in Huntersville for the special care given during the last days and to Hospice Care of the Charlotte region. The family has requested that memorials be made to Serenity House Huntersville, 14108 Stumptown Rd, Huntersville NC 28078.

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Dorothee 'Dottie' Buss Bigler

July 31, 1927 - January 9, 2016