Dorothy Hope Romanchuk, 86, Formerly of Hellertown [Obituary]

Dorothy Hope Romanchuk, 86, of Green Bay, Wisc., formerly of Hellertown, passed away peacefully Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. She was born Dec. 22, 1926 in Fiberville, N.C., to the late William Hillman and Sarah Rebekah (Leisher) Robertson. On Oct. 11, 1944, Dorothy married Michael Romanchuk in North Carolina. After Michael’s service in the war, the couple moved to Hellertown, where they designed, built and renovated the home they loved so much. She continued to live in the home after Michael’s passing on Oct. 29, 1997, until her move to Green Bay to live with her daughter and son-in-law approximately two years ago. Dorothy and Michael were founding members of Mountainview Moravian Church in Hellertown, where she would sing in the choir as a soloist (able to hit a high B-Flat without hurting your ears). She was also involved in Women’s Fellowship and for half a century was flower chairman at the church, making sure there were flowers in church every Sunday. Dorothy sent multiple cards and letters for any occasion, but especially birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and any anniversary of deaths. She was able to tell you the birth dates and death dates of her relatives and her many friends even into her advanced stages of dementia. Dorothy was proud of her Scottish heritage and as a child she danced the sword dance as her father, “Papa,” played bagpipes or Stradivarius violin. She was very attentive to the birthdays and special dates of others, making decorative cakes to deliver and celebrate those events with individuals. Dorothy was a seamstress, sewing for her children, including sport coats for her husband and sons and all clothing for her daughters, including a wedding gown for her daughter and gowns for the entire wedding party. Dorothy was proud of the fact that she was a twin, and that her twin brother had twin boys and that she had twin girls. 

Survivors:

Survivors include twin daughters, D. Amelia “Amy” (Gary) Straughan and Rebekah Ruhf; son, Martin Romanchuk; four grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; brother, James (Mary) Robertson; sisters-in-law, Hazel and Eva Robertson; and numerous other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Michael; son, Michael George who was killed in Vietnam; her parents; twin brother, George; brothers, William (Nettie), Albert (Mary), Thomas, Charles and Andrew; and sisters, Marie Allen and Esther (Ralph) Crawford.

Service:

Family and friends are invited to call from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013 at Mountainview Moravian Church, 331 Constitution Ave., Hellertown. The calling hour will be followed by the service at 2 p.m. The interment will conclude services at Union Cemetery of Hellertown. 

Contributions:

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for Daggett Moravian Church in Daggett, Mich., and/or Mountainview Moravian Church in Hellertown, Pa. The family is grateful for the outstanding care and attention Dorothy received by members of Mountainview Moravian Church during her last years in Hellertown, and which continued even after her move to Green Bay, Wisc.