In Memory
Dorothy Maxine (Baas) Lung
Dorothy Maxine Lung was born March 9, 1927, to Richard and Lillian Baas in South Bend, Indiana. She attended South Bend schools, from Nuner Elementary to graduation from Adams High School. After graduation, she worked in the offices at Studebaker before her marriage to Mervin D. Lung on February 15, 1947. They began their marriage in Ligonier before moving to Mishawaka to be closer to Mervin’s job. Together they raised 4 children, David, Carol, Greg and Jim Lung.
Over the years, they would own several homes in the Penn District for their children’s education as well as homes on Eagle Lake, Michigan and later in Ocala, Florida as snowbirds. They travelled extensively to places like Italy, France, Ireland, England, Austria, Greece, Turkey and China. As an accomplished crafter, Dorothy created a wall of needlework and cross-stitch commemorating many of those trips. All are blessed who have been recipients of some of her amazing cross-stitch or ceramic creations. In later years, Dorothy and Mervin returned to live full-time on Eagle Lake, Michigan where she was often found in her den room stitching away, making beautiful music on her beloved organ, avidly reading or watching the birds and the lake.
Dorothy has been described as a lovely woman, kind, generous, funny and creative. She made friends easily and is remembered fondly by many. Most recently, many of her caregivers became good friends. The longest running friendship is with Marilyn Swilley, her longtime friend from her days at Nuner – a friendship spanning 90 years. Dorothy always enjoyed the friends she made through Patrick Industries such as Sherry Kizer, whose continued assistance and friendship has been appreciated, Kent and Ralph, the pilots who accompanied her and Mervin on many of their adventures and so many other managers and personnel she came to know and treasure as well as Eric Koselak for his financial guidance and friendship. The family is grateful for the friends and acquaintances who continued to visit, send cards, flowers and other goodies, made calls and stayed in touch as Dorothy was more confined to home. It brightened her days and gave her joy.
Dorothy was devoted to her church, River Park Methodist, where she taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, was a Girl Scout and Boy Scout leader, directed plays, made costumes, cooked many church dinners, participated in fund raisers, worked in the food pantry and together with her husband made numerous financial donations. Her Sunday school class, the Searchers, were a tight knit and fun-loving group. They were rock steady friends who prayed together and played together. Oh, the stories…a canoe trip that went “over time” because joviality made them miss the take-out point by 6 hours and a pajama party that ended up with those empty nesters sleeping on the floor giggling like teenagers all night just to name a couple. As a class, they travelled within the States and internationally, including a trip to Italy to visit a former member of the class.
Another love of Dorothy was continuing education. Together with Mervin, they made the original campus of Ivy Tech possible by donating land and buildings and continued their support through contributions for other buildings and to numerous scholarships. They started the Mervin D. and Dorothy M. Lung Family Charitable Foundation Trust because Elkhart was good to them and they wanted to give back. There were three scholarships offered by Notre Dame every year to honor the Lungs. Dorothy was always so grateful and proud of the hundreds of letters she received and saved from many of the scholarship recipients. She read and saved every letter. Some of her dearest friends are those she made through her support of Ivy Tech.
Nothing made her happier than to be surrounded by family and friends and celebrating a holiday or special occasion. One has not celebrated Christmas until you have experienced a Dorothy Lung Christmas complete with all the decorations that could bring out the kid in us all, the delicious food, cookies and fudge, the beautiful music, the generous gifting and the infamous rum pot. Everyone was celebrated and remembered even when they lived far away. She was planning for Christmas as soon as the first catalog arrived in August. As much as she loved Christmas (and the bazaars leading up to it), all holidays and family time gave her joy. No one’s birthday went unnoticed and every gift she received was honored with a thank you note.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Mervin, her son Greg, her daughter Carol and her son-in-law Thom Long.
Left to remember and cherish the memories of Dorothy are her son Jim (Melanie), son David (Martha), daughter-in-law Pam Lung, grandchildren Kristina Sweet (Darrin), Mike Lewis, Brooks Long (Layla), Aaron Long, Colin Lung, Matt Snell (Angela), Beth Rodriguez (Gerardo), Julie Lung, Megan Nettuno and Jenni Lung as well as a delightful array of great grandchildren.
We are all so very appreciative of the on-going care and love shown to Dorothy and know she is with God, grateful to be among loved ones and cherished pets who moved on before her. If there are chocolate chip cookies and cross stitch in Heaven, you can bet Grandma Lung still makes the best ones and she will never have to tear out a stitch again!
Visitation is Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Palmer Funeral Homes – River Park Chapel, 2528 Mishawaka Avenue, South Bend, IN and 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Friday, October 4, 2024 at River Park Methodist Church, 920 South 23rd St. South Bend, IN with a Funeral service at 12:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Saint Joseph Valley Memorial Park. Palmer Funeral Home in River Park is providing arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.
10/02/2024 EJS
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