A NINETY-NINTH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!
“Gray hair is a crown of splendor. It is attained by a righteous life.”
Proverbs 16:31
She sat there in her favorite color, purple, with the sun’s ray reflecting off her beautiful gray hair. This wonderful Christian lady, Dorothy “Dottie” Handler had just turned ninety-nine the Monday before when her family had gathered to celebrate with her.
Now today her daughter, Connie, had invited Pastor Rob and a few other friends from church to attend a second celebration on this Friday morning. And so we celebrated with this elegant lady, the oldest member of Our Savior Lutheran Church—ninety-nine on June 22.
“Dottie” grew up on a farm near Green Bay and then made her way out to California where she lived, later moving here to Burlington where she has been a member of our congregation for quite some time. When she was in our presence, she made us all feel just a bit more special with her radiant smile and her beautiful jewelry and purple outfits.
Now, Dottie lives at Harbour House (which has taken on a new name of late) near Lake Geneva. Her daughter, Connie, visits her most every day and her son, Bill, from Green Bay gets down to see her as often as possible. She is the Grandmother to Vickie Vyhanek and Great-Grandmother to Scott Vyhanek, also members at Our Savior.
It was a beautiful morning of celebration with Pastor Rob reading a very special birthday prayer from the Portals of Prayer, lots of picture taking, dining on finger foods and trying out three different birthday cakes—a special birthday cake made out of flowers was sent to Dottie from her friends in California.
Truly, it was a special day and, truly, God has blessed this wonderful lady with many years of precious life under His wing. Dottie cannot hear all that well these days and does not always remember who we are, but when I gave her an embrace and said “God bless you,” she responded with one of her radiant smiles.
Thank you God for this wonderful Christian lady! - Annette Haas