Dorothy Mae Breen

Dorothy Mae Koehler was born in Ritzville,
Wash., to Anna Rutz Braun and
Carl Fredrick Koehler. Dorothy was the
second of seven children. She was only four pounds at
birth and her mother’s sister, Hattie, was a nurse and
was able to care for Dorothy.

Clifford, Helen, Emma, Julia, Donald and Eleanor
comprised her brothers and sisters. The Koehler
Farm was founded by her grandparents Charles and
Emma Koehler in 1914, a 1,600-acre wheat ranch and
400 acres of range for a cattle operation. Located on
the farm was McElroy Lake, where the family enjoyed
swimming, fishing, boating and ice skating. In
the winter ice was cut from the lake and stored in
their ice house. Dorothy attended first grade at Ritzville
and then attended grade school at Paha through
sixth grade. She next attended Lind High School
graduating in 1941. Dorothy helped with the raising
of her siblings and was her mother’s helper cooking
for a large farm crew. It was a seven mile trip to Lind
and Ritzville from the farm.

On Nov. 2, 1943, the family moved to Walla Walla.
Dorothy worked at the Baker-Boyer Bank from 1945-
1951. On June 20, 1948, Dorothy married Eugene
Breen (Saturno) at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Eugene
died in August 1990. They had a son, Douglas
Breen Saturno, and daughter, Karen Breen.

Dorothy was a lifetime member of the Ladies V.F.W.
Auxiliary and was a volunteer at the Veterans Hospital
for many years. She worked at Roy’s Chuck Wagon
and the Washington Odd Fellows Home was also a
caregiver. Dorothy was an excellent cook and most of
all a homemaker. Meals were always a family delight.
Proper was her look and it showed in the way she
dressed. Her memory was keen and she always was
current on politics and the news, not to forget game
shows. Bingo was her sport and she never missed a
game. Dorothy loved animals and was very proud of
her German heritage. Her smile was warming to all
and she was always interested in what you were doing.
Most of all she was a woman of God.

Dorothy had 10 nephews and two nieces. She is survived
by her son, Douglas Saturno and his wife Malinda;
grandsons Julian, Lexington and Jacson Saturno;
and her daughter Karen Breen and grandsons Max
and Nick Webber; great-grandchildren, Harleigh
Paighton, Levi Webber; sisters, Emma Brittain, Eleanor
Tomlinson; brother-in-law, Donald Tomlinson;
sister-in-law, Mrs. Donald Koehler (JoAnn).

Services will be held at Emmanuel Luthern Church,
628 Lincoln St., on Thursday, March 12, 2015, at 11
a.m., with reception to follow. Internment at Lutheran
Cemetery Ritzville, Wash., on Friday, March 13,
2015, at 11 a.m. Memorials can be made to Emmanuel
Lutheran Church, Blue Mountain Humane Society,
Italian Heritage Association or donors choice through
the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder.
Courtesy of Union-Bulletin