Dorothy Marie Seaman Henke Gillespie, 96, of West Lafayette, IN, passed away on December 30, 2020 at Westminster Village.

She was born to Richard Robert Seaman and Marie (nee Breyer) Seaman October 1924, in Chicago, IL. Dorothy graduated from the Academy of Our Lady High School Chicago, in 1943 and entered nurses’ training at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and Loyola University Chicago, graduating with an RN and a BS in 1946.

She served in the US Army Nurse Corps from 1943 to 1946 achieving the rank of 1st Lieutenant, ANC. Dorothy was a surgical nurse at Little Company of Mary in Evergreen Park, IL, a director of pediatric nursing at St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago, and head nurse at Munster Med Inn in the mid-1970’s. In 1961 she started a school nursing program at St. Thomas More in Munster, serving on their school board in 1965. In keeping with her civic mindedness, she was director of Health and Welfare and Civil Defense for the Town of Munster in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Her work as a nurse in the newly forming Hospice movement in the Calumet Area from 1981 to 1987 was a perfect outlet for her compassion and advocacy for the dignity of her patients. A survivor herself, Dorothy became an Open-Door support group coordinator for Y-Me National Breast Cancer through Munster Community Hospital from 1990 until 2012.

A member of Purdue University Chorus for many years and the choirs at St. Thomas More and All Saints in Hammond, IN, song permeated everyday events and conversations with her family, revealing her playfulness and love of fun and laughter. An avid Chicago White Sox fan and foodie, Dorothy considered life’s greatest joy to be her family. “Tell each other ‘I love you’ while you can”.

She was married to Robert Henke from 1953 -1971 and later to Hilary Gillespie from 1982-1999. Dorothy was a resident of Munster, IN for 60 years and moved to West Lafayette, IN in 2017.

She is survived by her sister, Ruth Seaman Cain; and three children, Kathryn (Robert) Marie Henke Evans, Barbara (Stanley) Henke Felix and Charles (Robin) Henke; grandchildren, Elizabeth (Jamie) Felix Yost, Peter Felix, Sarah (David) Henke Caddick, Katherine Henke, Lydia (Nathan) Felix Traylor, Marie Henke and Mark Felix; great- grandchildren, Isaac Yost, Grace Yost, Jonathan Traylor, Charlotte Nigro, and Elena Brown.  She had four stepchildren, Nancy (Carl) Gillespie Skowronski, Hillary “Jane” (Shannon) Gillespie Hadley, Susan (George) Gillespie Kunkemoeller and Donna (Mark) Gillespie Copeland; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dorothy was preceded in death by Richard and Marie Seaman (parents); Richard Seaman Jr (brother); Ethel Seaman (stepmother); Robert Henke (spouse); and Hilary Gillespie (spouse).

Due to Covid-19, a private funeral will be held on Friday, January 8, 2021, at  KISH FUNERAL HOME 10000 Calumet Ave. Munster, IN. Burial will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Evergreen Park, IL. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Hospice of the Calumet Area or to the Share Foundation, Inc. (Rolling Prairie, IN) would be appreciated.