Thews, Dorothy Catherine (Deutsch) age 98, died peacefully at home in Tucson, Arizona on April 7, 2024. Survived by daughters Jean Thews of Tucson and Teresa Thews (Paul Scobie) of St. Paul; grandsons Daniel, Brennan (Justine), and Jonathan (Deirdre); daughter-in-law Karen Thews; and nieces and nephews. Predeceased by beloved son Eric Thews, husband Richard Thews, sister Janet Leaf, and brother Harold Deutsch Jr.

Dorothy was born on May 15, 1925 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Harold and Marie (Frey) Deutsch. She grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and following high school, attended the University of Minnesota and the University of Chicago. During WWII, she lived in Washington DC and worked at the Library of Congress. In 1948, she completed her master's degree in History, focusing on the Middle East. A fan of languages, she was fluent in German and French.

After college, Dorothy returned to Washington to work for the State Department. There, she met Richard, an electrical engineer. They married, settled in St. Paul, and became parents to three children. A loving, devoted, and fun mother, she shared her love of music, art, and history, and supported social justice and women's rights. For years, she and Richard enjoyed sailing adventures on Lake Superior.

In 1971, Dorothy obtained a master's degree in Library Science and began a fulfilling career as a librarian for the Minneapolis Public Library. Awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to participate in a librarian exchange program, she and Richard lived in Hamburg, Germany for 18 months while she worked at the Hamburg Library. She retired as Head of the Literature and Language Department in 1993.

In retirement, Dorothy taught English as a Second Language to immigrants in Minneapolis and college students in Hungary. She also volunteered at the Alliance Francaise and Germanic-American Institute in the Twin Cities, and the Arizona State Museum and Friends of the Library in Tucson. Dorothy and Richard were lifelong learners and enjoyed traveling. Living in Tucson during the winters, they explored the southwest, especially historic and archeological sites.

Richard passed away in 2012. In 2017, Dorothy moved to Tucson full-time, and in 2020, she moved into Jean's home. She lived the rest of her days enjoying outings, walks, music, family visits and the household pets.

A Celebration of Life will take place in Minnesota at a later date. Please email Jean at jmthews1@q.com or Teresa at trthews@gmail.com for more information.

Published on April 28, 2024