Dorothy "Dottie" H. Biwer

Dorothy Elizabeth Hebard Biwer (Mrs. Robert A. Biwer)(Dottie)(Bana) was born April 2nd, 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Preceded in death by Robert A. Biwer (Papa) her loving husband of 49 ½ years of marriage. Dottie was the Vice President of Development at Marquette University and previously worked for the American Cancer Society in Florence, South Carolina and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dottie succumbed to her three year fight of pancreatic cancer with her loving family at her side.

Dottie was the daughter of William J. Hebard and Dorothy J. Hebard (Doyle) and was one of four siblings (Pat Hebard Burns, Nora Lee Hebard Tarney and Bill Hebard). She is preceded in death by her parents, brother Bill and brothers-in-law John Burns and Don Tarney. Dottie and Bob had five children (Debbie, Bill (Judy), Bob (Theresa), Mary Carol (Mark DeGuire) and Paul (Jen)), twelve grandchildren (Bill (Tara), Sara (Alex Rennekamp), Ben, Alex, Marco, Becky, Charlotte, Andy, Joey, Matthew, Adam and Emily) and three great grandchildren (Liam, Henry and Cora).

She graduated from Bishop Noll High School (Hammond, Indiana) in 1953 and from Marquette University in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. During her time at Marquette, she was president of her sorority (Kappa Beta Gamma) and Queen of the Holly Ball (1955); her date for the Ball, Bob Biwer, became her husband in 1956. In 2000, Dottie received the Mary Nevelle Bielefield Award by the Association of Marquette University Women.

For twenty years, Dottie worked in the Development Office at Marquette University. She had a lifelong connection to and love for MU. There were many meaningful accomplishments through the years including establishing the Jesuit Retirement Community at Saint Camillus in Wauwatosa and, along with Father Raynor and Father Fitzpatrick, pioneering the establishment of the Marquette Women’s Council. But probably the most thrilling was Mother Teresa’s visit to campus in 1981 to receive the Pere Marquette Discovery Award.

Dottie was an active member of Saint Anthony on the Lake parish and the Pewaukee Yacht Club. In 2012, she received PYC’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dottie was a dedicated member of many boards and committees. Among others, she served on the board of West Allis Memorial Hospital, Saint Camillus and the Milwaukee Women’s Club. She enjoyed the friendships and contributions she made at each.

She loved hummingbirds, collecting elephants and travel, especially riverboat tours in Europe. She loved to host family dinners on Sunday night at the “Cottage.” She loved Christmas, generously gifting and collecting Lennox Christmas china.

Thank you to Dr. Evans and Dr. Erickson at Froedtert and Dr. Siegel at the Lombardi Cancer Center and their associates and staff for their exceptional care that provided Dottie and her family 2 ½ years of precious time and dignity in providing and honoring her choices in her cancer journey.

Visitation is 4pm – 7pm on Friday, October 25 at Becker Ritter Funeral Home in Brookfield. Her mass of Christian burial will be at 9am on Saturday, October 26 at Saint Anthony on the Lake Catholic Church in Pewaukee, followed by private interment at St. Joseph Cemetery (Waukesha). 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the William J. Hebard Memorial Scholarship Fund at Marquette University.

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