Dorothea Litzenberger

Dorothea "Dee" Litzenberger, an Idaho Falls resident since 1957, passed away peacefully listening to her favorite CD of "Fosse" on September 4, 2017, at the age of 96, under the care of Lily and Syringa Assisted Living and Hands of Hope Hospice of Idaho Falls.

Dee was born on November 28, 1920, to Harry and Emma Landis in Red Lion, Pennsylvania and attended schools in both Red Lion and Philadelphia. Her mom died when she was just twelve and thus learned to be a self -reliant and fiercely independent young woman at an early age.

In January of 1943, Dee enlisted in the Women's Air Corps (WAC) and completed basic training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. On the eve of her departure to what she thought would be a dreadful cooking and baking school, she discovered that Radio Aptitude Tests were being given in the next building. Landy, as she was nicknamed in the military, let no grass grow under her feet, passed the test and that same afternoon left for Kansas City, Missouri for Radio School. For nearly two years of WWII Dee excelled as the only female Morse code operator at the Dyersburg AAF in Tennessee where she also helped train B-17 radio operators for their missions over Germany. During the last six months of her three -year service she received additional training in the air control tower, quickly passed tests and proudly certified as one of the first female Air Traffic Control Operators in the United States.

After the war, Dee married Wilson (Bill) Litzenberger in Oak Ridge, Tennessee whom she had met at the Dyersburg AAF and was also serving as a radio operator/instructor and later as a radio operator aboard B-29s based from the Island of Guam.

In 1947, they moved to Rye, New York so Dee could attend a 3 -year art school in the Flat Iron building in NYC. They had the wonderful opportunity to live in the Barrymore Estate house along with actors, playwrights, dancers and artists. She developed a love for theater while in NYC which continued to the end. Dee once got to do a live radio broadcast coast to coast from the Copacabana on New Year's Eve.

After art school, Dee and Bill moved back to Oak Ridge where their daughter, Kim, was born. They joined the Oak Ridge Community Playhouse and they both worked at the huge Carbide plant. They later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where their son, Troy, was born and Bill worked for General Electric.

In 1957, the family transferred with GE to Idaho Falls, Idaho where Dee started her commercial art career working for radio and TV as well as many businesses, including the Post Register. She and Bill, along with others, formed the Idaho Falls Community Players and produced many plays at the Civic Auditorium. Dee was also actively involved with the IF Art Guild, Toast Mistresses, Girl Scouts and served as one of the first PTA presidents for Edgemont School. In 1968, Dee decided she wanted to go to ISU to become a teacher. At age 52, she started her career at Skyline High School teaching English, Drama, Debate and Art.

Retirement for Dee was a happy time filled with her many talents and passions for woodworking, travel, exercise, photography, reading, learning to downhill ski, remodeling her house all by herself (including adding additional windows, doors, electrical outlets, decks and fencing!) and becoming a Grandma to Courtney, Mason and Riley.

Dee is survived by her daughter, Kim (Wade) Smith, granddaughter, Courtney (Tyson) Sibbett and great grandsons, Cohen and Maddox Sibbett, all from Boise, Idaho, along with her son, Troy (Rayna) Litzenberger, and grandsons, Mason and Riley Litzenberger, all living in Wrightwood, California.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Ellis Landis.

A private committal service and burial with Military Honor Recognition was held at the Idaho State Veteran's Cemetery on September 18, 2017.

Private Family Services