Amelia D. (Steinhofer) Dorn

Amelia (Millie) Dorn, 100, of South Bend, Indiana passed away at 3:50 a.m. Thursday, December 17, 2020, in Tanglewood Trace.  Amelia was born in 1920 in Fort Rice, North Dakota to Frank Steinhofer and Mary( Koppy) Steinhofer. She had been employed by H. D. Lee for 25 years and worked at Brown Middle School for five years.  In 1943, in the former St. Mary’s Catholic Church in South Bend, she married Walter Dorn who preceded her in death on April 7, 2009.

She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Goepfrich and Theresa Mesaros; and three brothers, Frank, John, and Joseph Steinhofer.  Amelia is survived by her daughter, Catherine Dorn Rivoira (David) of Knoxville, Tennessee; her son Walter J. Dorn (Vickie) of South Bend, Indiana; five grandchildren, Kristen Nelson (Matthew), Kari Horton (Steve), Michael Rivoira, Scott W. Dorn, Colleen Wilson (Casey) and eight great grandchildren.

   Amelia grew up on the plains of North Dakota, the fourth of six children.  She and her siblings walked for miles every morning to a one room schoolhouse. Before leaving for school, they had already milked cows, fed chickens and completed the many tasks that are required on a farm.  According to Amelia, they would often eat their lunch before arriving at school.   Although life was difficult in North Dakota, any conversation would always include stories and tales of how she and her siblings found ways to have fun and escape the hard work when the parents weren’t looking.

The Steinhofer family eventually moved to South Bend.  Amelia’s work at the H.D. Lee Company included making uniforms and clothing for the military during World War II.  The move to South Bend also provided the opportunity for her to meet and marry Walter Dorn with whom she would share a deep and loving relationship for over 66 years.

Amelia had a big heart and cared deeply for family and friends. She was always the first to offer help when it was needed, whether it was making meals for those who were sick or listening to someone who needed comfort. She did this not out of obligation but because of who she was.  No one ever went hungry at Millie’s house. It was always filled with the best fried chicken, peanut butter cookies, and more baked goods than you could imagine.  Her children and grandchildren went crazy for her homemade Pierogis, and were often caught hiding them from each other. When her grandchildren visited, she would take them to the park, play Old Maid for hours, and sneak cookies to them when their parents weren’t watching. The house was always full of laughter and love.

Her hobbies included watching Tiger Woods play golf and cheering for Notre Dame. Her Catholic faith strengthened her all her life, and she was a life long member of Holy Cross Church. The family was blessed to be able to celebrate her well-lived life on her 100th birthday, and we are grateful for all of the people who came to her window at Tanglewood with well wishes to show her she was loved and special to them.

Due to Covid 19 restrictions, a private Catholic Funeral Service was held for the immediate family, and burial took place in Highland Cemetery.  Kaniewski Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Amelia’s memory, may be made to The Food Bank of Northern Indiana or to Southern Care Hospice in Mishawaka, Indiana. Or, in Amelia’s memory, please do something to help someone in need.

 To send online condolences, please visit kaniewski.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Amelia D. (Steinhofer) Dorn, please visit our floral store.