Dorothy Riggs Werkowski

Dorothy Riggs Werkowski passed away on 10/30/15 after 94 years of loving and being loved. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Kay (Emery) Santerre and grandson John Santerre, the apple of her eye. "Darling Dorothy" adored pulling weeds at the Indianapolis Zoo, the Indiana Pacers, bridge night, and telling her grandson he was having a wonderful childhood, but more than anything just helping others. She is predeceased by her husband, Lt. Col. John Werkowski, Jr USMC (reserves), a decorated WWII Iwo Jima veteran who memorized the eye chart in order to enlist. He served in the Korean War as well. He raced an MG, enjoyed skiing, and loved bumming around town with his daughter while eating polish sausage, a tradition Mary Kay continues to share with her son to this day!

Daughter of Blanche Spurgeon and Clarence Riggs, Dorothy was born in the boys dormitory of her fathers school (a fact she was amused by and rather proud of) in Rangoon, Burma. She was educated at Woodstock Boarding School in Mussoorie, India. The family traveled by boat, train, bus & finally walked in to arrive at Woodstock. The school is still active today. She returned to the U.S. to finish high school and attended Iowa State University where she earned her degree in Home Economics and became a dietician.

She enlisted in the Army in 1944 as a 2nd Lieutenant and was stationed in Santa Barbara, CA, where she broke her nose while surfing. I was showing off. While she was there, she met John Werkowski who was in the Marine Corps. John loved to tell people that he had to get permission from his CO to date her because she outranked him. He always seemed pleased that he had caught himself an officer. They were both scheduled to go abroad, but Dorothy never did. John served in Iwo Jima and the Philippines. Their wedding picture is of both of them in uniform. Their devotion and loyalty to the armed services lasted their entire lives. Dorothy was active in the WWII Roundtable in Broad Ripple and assisted founder Elbert Watson with meetings and mailings for the group. John volunteered and served in the Korean War and stayed active in the USMC Reserve achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

They returned to Hammond, IN (Johns hometown & where daughter Mary Kay was born) after Korea where they lived until 1961. The family moved to Indianapolis and settled just outside the Broad Ripple area. They were active in the Indianapolis Ski Club, where they formed lifelong friendships that continue today. John died in 1970. As much as he was known for his sense of humor and hearty laugh, Dorothy was always the quiet competence in the background with Is there anything I can do to help? She loved her home and her little gardens and mowed her own lawn well into her 70s. Dorothy lived in that same home for 47 years until she moved in with Mary Kay & Emery (who she loved) in Maine in 2008.

More thoughts:
Dorothy had a quiet, strong, unflappable character.

She learned to fly after the war when they were in West Lafayette where John had gone back to school at Purdue. She kept her logbook and occasionally it would come out of the metal box where she kept important papers. Sometimes she would tell the story of the day when, during a lesson, there was a mechanical malfunction. The instructor asked Dorothy if she thought she could make it back to the airport. She said she thought she could do it and they returned back to a standing ovation from the staff ground crew of the airport.

In 1989 she & 2 friends traveled to Australia & New Zealand. In NZ they rented a motor coach to drive around the island. The 3 senior ladies were confronted with an unexpectedly large vehicle. Dorothy, the oldest, was the only one who would drive, but she was not able to shift gears while steering and working the foot pedals. So while she drove, another one shifted gears, & the 3rd lady was navigator. The system worked well until they found themselves on the wrong road and they had to turn around. The road was narrow and had a drop off. One stayed outside to give directions as the other two somehow managed to inch the RV around successfully. Then off they went to continue on their adventure.

Her favorite phrase to Mary Kay (and one that she will always hear) when beginning any type of project was (while tapping her forefinger on the table) was We are going to do a good job. And she always did.

Memorial contributions may be made to
Indianapolis Zoo – Horticulture Dept.
1200 West Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46222