Dorothy E. (nee Mahlstedt) Schaumberg

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Schaumberg, Dorothy E. (nee Mahlstedt) died peacefully at home on Dec. 8. She was 91 years old. Dorothy was born on Dec. 15, 1924, to William and Dorothy Mahlstedt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She graduated from Whitefish Bay High School as Salutatorian. During her high school years, she was a member of the International Order of Job's Daughters, Bethel 16, Milwaukee, serving as Honored Queen in 1942. Dorothy earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, graduating Magna Cum Laude and was elected to many honorariums. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta social sorority. Dorothy was married Sept. 7, 1946 to her college sweetheart, Wilmer (Bill) Schaumberg. They raised their family in Brooklyn Center and Minnetonka, Minnesota. The family moved to Santa Cruz, California in 1966, when Bill accepted a new career position. Dorothy was active in Job's Daughters and Financial Secretary of her church. She loved to read and took classes at Cabrillo Community College in Library Science. In 1968, Dorothy began working in the Library Serials department at the University of California in Santa Cruz. She also assisted Mary Lea Shane in establishing the Lick Observatory Library, housed at UCSC. She conducted research for astronomers from all over the world, and gained professional recognition as a valuable resource for astronomy writers and biographers. She is listed in numerous book Acknowledgements and has a biography titled "Ask Dorothy". In 1983, Dorothy was named "Curator of the Mary Lea Shane Archives of the Lick Observatory". This was her passion. For many years, she was the guest speaker at the Summer Visitors Program, describing the history and construction of the Lick Observatory, located atop Mt. Hamilton, outside San Jose, California. She had a distinguished career that she loved until her retirement in 1991. She continued to volunteer in the creation of a Lick Observatory database, offering decades of knowledge and anecdotes, until she was 80! Dorothy's daughter, Gail, died in 2005. Her beloved husband of 61 years, Bill, died in 2007. She is survived by her daughter, Elaine Nordahl, Glen Ellyn, Illinois; son, Mark, Santa Cruz; granddaughter, Amy English, Soquel, California; granddaughter Beverly Nanduri, Cincinnati, Ohio; grandson, David Nordahl, Chicago, Illinois; granddaughter Kayley DeSales, Sacramento, California; Eight great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. Dorothy will be forever cherished. Burial will be alongside her husband and parents in Crystal, Minnesota. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. Memorial gifts may be sent to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 2402 Cabrillo College Drive, Soquel, California 95073 or to the Mary Lea Shane Archives of the Lick Observatory, c/o Special Collections, University Library, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064. Washburn-McReavy.com Glen Haven Chapel 763-533-8643

Published on December 18, 2016