Dorothea Van Fechtmann

HOLDEN – Dorothea A. (Howard) Van Fechtmann, 91, passed away on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 surrounded by the loving care of her family and the dedicated staff at Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester. Born in Joplin, Missouri, Dorothea was the daughter of Norman C. and Gladys M. (Combs) Howard and lived the last 44 years in Holden. On January 8, 1946, Dorothea met a young man by the name of Dick Van Fechtmann, while skating with her brother in a neighborhood skating rink in Los Angeles, California. After a little more than a month courtship, Dick proposed to Dorothea on Valentine’s Day and they married on February 16th. They lived in Upstate New York, Oklahoma and Europe before moving to Holden in 1974. She embraced her new community and was a member and past president of Chaffins Women’s Club and the Worcester Women’s Club. She also served as the 13th District Director of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.Dorothea’s life was focused on her strong faith and family. She was a former longtime member of Immanuel Lutheran Church where she served as a Stephen Minister. For the last 4 years, Dorothea and Dick have been members of the First Congregational Church of Holden where they celebrated and renewed their 70th wedding vows on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2016. Her greatest joy in life was spending time at home with her family and tending her gardens. She will be remembered for her kind and loving nature, prolific memory and endless energy.She is survived by her loving husband of 72 years, William R. Van Fechtmann; two sons, Stevan C. Van Fechtmann and his wife, Carolyn of Rochester, NY and Russell N. Van Fechtmann and his wife, Terry of Uxbridge, MA; a daughter, Dr. Brenda R. Darling and her husband, Dr. Ian Darling of Johnson City, TN; brother, Thomas R. Howard of Fairfield, CA; and six grandchildren: Buck Cloudtree, Chiana J. Hosseini and her husband, Ehsan, Alexander J. Darling, Allison R. Van Fechtmann, Sean M. and Abigail S. Darling; and numerous nieces and nephews. Her beloved son, Richard T. Van Fechtmann died in 2001. Dorothea is predeceased by a brother, Charles D. Howard; two sisters, Norma L. Stallsworth and Doreen M. Lewis; and a granddaughter Emma F. Darling.