As Lorie would say, “I have gone to meet Jesus.” Delores Anne Stetler, better known all her life as Lorie, died Wednesday February 23, 2011, peacefully in her sleep, at age 77, after a courageous battle with rare “lyo-myo” sarcoma cancer.

Funeral services will be at the First Baptist Church in Blanco, Texas at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 26.

She was born in the small west Texas town of Iraan on August 4, 1933, to Meta Straach Meyers and Fred Blumentritt, both of whom predeceased her. She was the special niece of Lucie Straach Wendland and Richard Wendland, who also predeceased her. Lorie graduated from University of Texas in Austin in 1955 where she was active in the Delta Gamma sorority.

At UT, she met the love of her life, Marvin Stetler, and they married on February 12, 1955 and just celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. Lorie and Marvin moved to Midland, Texas where she taught second grade and became the ultimate supportive wife to Marvin. When he joined the Jaycees, she began her lifelong service to others and joined the Jaycee-ettes and the Junior League. Her great love of travel began and she and Marvin went to Europe where they bought a red convertible sports car, which they drove in Europe before shipping to Midland. The second love of her life, Mark Mayfield Stetler, was born on June 27, 1963. As Marvin rose in the banking world, the Stetlers moved briefly to Austin before moving to Arlington, Texas in 1970 where they lived for 13 years. Everyone remembers the wonderful Polly Webb Ranch where Lorie welcomed many friends and family. While in Arlington, she was a founding member and President of the Arlington Women’s Club and continued service to others in their Junior League. In 1983, the Stetlers moved to San Antonio where they lived for 5 years. Lorie was proud to have been selected to serve on the advisory board of the UT Health Science Center.

Lorie and Marvin moved to their beautiful and treasured River Road Ranch in Blanco, Texas in 1988. Lorie knew everyone in Blanco, served on the Friends of the Library, Meals on Wheels, and the Courthouse Preservation Committee, and was a member of the Blanco Methodist Church. Lorie was a proud lifelong supporter of the Republican Party. Whether she was doing needlepoint “George Bush for Congress” signs in Midland or serving as a national delegate to the Republican convention in Houston (she played the ukulele and sang her own song to get elected as a delegate at the Texas State Convention), she worked hard to elect Republicans to office. Lorie also was a life long bridge player. But Lorie will mainly be remembered for spreading JOY everywhere she went. A devout Christian, she lived by JOY – Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. Service to others and bringing joy to people was how she lived. Even stricken with cancer and battling the fatigue of chemotherapy, she would buy extra hams at the grocery and stoped by homes on her way home to unexpectedly drop off food to neighbors she knew were in need. Patients, doctors, nurses, and technicians at M.D. Anderson in Houston remember the joy she spread when she went for treatment; she always brought gifts to each worker every trip and comforted other patients and laughed with them to bring a little joy into their lives.

Lorie is survived by her dear husband Marvin Stetler; son Mark and his wife Anne Stetler and their three boys Mason (13), Luke (11) and Logan (8); older brother Ross Blumentritt; sister-in-law Susan Winn and husband Danny Winn; nieces and nephews Lynne Humphries and husband Rod, Bruce G.M. Blumentritt and wife Deborah, Will Blumentritt and wife Marie Angell, Bruce R.W. Blumentritt and wife Jana, and Chris Blumentritt and wife Laurie; great nieces and nephews Scott, Mark and Justin Humphries, Daniel, Andrea and Susan Blumentritt, Eric, Emily and Travis Blumentritt, Laurie Ann, Kindra and Blair Blumentritt, and Alex and Erin Blumentritt; great great nephews Jackson and Sam Humphries; and hundreds of friends.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in the name of Lorie Stetler or to Hill Country Memorial Hospital.

Sleep with the Angels dear Lorie.