Dorothy Kennel

Dorothy Kennel, 98, of Mishawaka and a former resident of Berne, passed away Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka. She was born March 24, 1924, in Adams County to John W. and Mary (Schindler) Zimmerman. She was married February 26, 1944, to Howard W. Kennel.
She was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene in South Bend. She worked in the local Berne dime store in 1943 before meeting her husband of 66 years. After starting a family, she and her husband moved to a small farm in Berne. In 1965, she moved with the family to Plymouth and started a custom upholstery business until the fall of 1980. While residing in Plymouth, she was a member of the Plymouth Wesleyan Church and was active a Sunday school teacher and missions leader. In 1980, they moved to Florida where she worked at TG&Y and McCroy’s department stores until she retired at the age of 79. She and her husband moved back to the Berne area in 1993. After the passing of her husband in 2010, she resided in Mishawaka for the past 12 years.  
She enjoyed sewing, quilting, cooking, genealogy and reading Amish themed books
She is survived by her two sons, Earl Kennel of Des Moines, Iowa; and David Kennel of Mishawaka; daughter, Patricia (Wayne) Wilborn of Mishawaka; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.    
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on April 11, 2010; daughter, Suzanne Marshall; five brothers; one sister; and many aunts and uncles.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the 11 a.m. funeral service Monday, November 21 at Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, Yager – Kirchhofer Chapel in Berne. Officiating will be Pastor Andy Lauer and Pastor Keith Rupp. Burial will be at MRE Cemetery in Berne.
Memorials may be made to South Bend First Nazarene youth group.
Arrangements provided by Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, Yager-Kirchhofer Chapel in Berne. To sign the online guest book, visit www.zwickjahn.com.