DOROTHY LILLY KORANDO, 93, of Chester, Illinois, passed away at 6:05 pm on Friday, May 9, 2014 at Three Springs Lodge Nursing Home in Chester, IL. She was born to Rudolph and Lilly Meyer on December 22, 1920, on a farm southeast of Chester. When she was six, the family moved to a farm south of Steeleville near Rock Castle. After completing three grades in two years at a country school, she went to St. Mark's Lutheran School in town. Steeleville High School was then a three-year school so she boarded in Chester to finish her high school education. She earned college credits in accounting through a correspondence course and became the first bookkeeper for the REA in Steeleville. Many of Dorothy's activities centered around the Randolph County Rural Youth Organization. The group's traditional square dancing sent her into the arms of a young man from the other side of the county. She married Samuel L. Korando on March 7, 1943 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Steeleville, IL. They continued dancing, even as arthritis slowed her down. He preceded her in death on October 20, 2011. She left the REA in 1949, planning to become a full-time mother and farm wife, but droughts in 1953 and '54 made the offer of a bookkeeping job attractive. That job with Birchler's Tax Accounting was to become a career. She attained every level of certification short of a CPA, becoming an enrolled agent. Dorothy saw her work as a service to people and turned down job offers that would have meant fewer and more regular hours. She sold her partnership but did not retire until she was in her 80s. Even then she volunteered so much that she earned a Presidential Volunteer Award. Dorothy was active in St. John Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Women's Missionary League, the National Toothpick Holder Collectors' Society, Chester Women's Club, Farm Bureau and card clubs. She was the Grand Marshall of the Popeye Parade in 1996, the Women's Club's Woman of the Year in 2008, an officer of the Illinois Independent Accountants Association, the NTHCS and other organizations. Living in hope of following her example of faith and strength are two daughters - Donna Korando of St. Louis, Debra (Gary) Rednour who lives on the family farm; daughter-in-law - Karen Korando of Ferryville, WI., grandchildren - Reid Heidenry of Miami Beach, Mariah (Charles II) Bargman of Chester, Jesse Snider of Chester, Andrew Korando (Ann LeBeda) of Minneapolis and Rachel Heidenry (Adam Kearney) of Philadelphia, as well as three great grandchildren - Hannah, Duncan and Evan. Surviving also are her sisters - Rudelle Rickenberg of Steeleville, Lois McConachie of Sparta, her brother - Glenn (Carol) Meyer of Steeleville and her brother-in-law - Bob Korando (Camilla Rose) of Ava. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years - Samuel L. Korando, her son - Steven S. Korando, her sister - Grace Moll and son-in-law - James Heidenry. The family would like to thank the people at Three Springs Lodge for their care and Pastor Peter Ill and Hospice of Southern Illinois for easing the end. Funeral Service: 11:00 am, Monday, May 12, 2014 St. John Lutheran Church, Chester, Illinois Officiating: Rev. Peter Ill Interment: St. John Lutheran Cemetery Chester, Illinois Visitation: Sunday 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Monday 7:30 am - 9:00 am Pechacek-McClure Funeral Home, Chester, Illinois Monday 10:00 am - 11:00 am St. John Lutheran Church, Chester, Illinois Memorials: St. John Lutheran Cemetery St. John Lutheran Church Radio Fund
