Dorothy Shwayder Heitler, a championship tennis and golf player, community leader and family matriarch, passed away Nov. 26, 2009, in Denver. She was 95.
Rabbi Steven Foster and Cantor Abraham Lubin officiated at the Nov. 29 service at Temple Emanuel. Interment followed at Emanuel Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Our mother was the consummate supporter of her large extended family, daughter Gail Klapper eulogized at the service. There was nothing she wouldnt give and no place she wouldnt go to help a family member accomplish his or her goals.
She wanted each of us to achieve whatever it was that our individual skills allowed and our dreams desired and she didnt hesitate to enhance our perceptions of those skills and dreams by enlarging our vision of ourselves.
Mrs. Heitler was born April 2, 1914, in Denver, to Jesse and Nellie Weitz Shwayder. She graduated East High, earned an undergraduate degree from DU and studied at Mills College in California.
Dorothy married Emmett Heitler on Feb. 21, 1932. Together for over 60 years, they loved traveling and collected art from all their journeys. Mr. Heitler passed away five years ago.
A remarkable athlete, Mrs. Heitler and her sister Fay were the national over-80 doubles tennis champs.
Mrs. Heitler also won multiple local and state golf championships and was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
A calm demeanor and consistency were the hallmark of her game, and her life, the family said.
The first female board chair of the former Denver Symphony Orchestra, Mrs. Heitler was instrumental in the creation of Boettcher Hall. She also was board chair of The Childrens Hospital.
She filled her house with antiques and insisted that her children and grandchildren take home items they loved for birthdays, weddings and other occasions. Her generosity was boundless, they said.
In the last decade of her life, Mrs. Heitler became very interested in African art, and traders often came to the home to sell and trade with her. She enjoyed negotiating and bargaining with her trader friends, who called her Mama.
Mrs. Heitler is survived by her children Dean (Judge Sherry) Heitler of New York, Don (Anita) Heitler, Gail (Dr. Jack) Klapper, Bruce (Dr. Susan) Heitler and Lynn (Philip Levy) Heitler; sister Norma Degen of California; 17 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Denver Hospice or The Childrens Hospital Foundation.
