Dorothy A. (Houpt) Zewe

FAIRVIEW – Dorothy Zewe, age 94, formerly of Fairview, PA, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Manchester Commons.

She was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on May 8, 1928, a daughter of the late Charles and Sophia Houpt.

Dorothy was a 1946 graduate of Perry High School in Pittsburgh, PA.

On October 22, 1949, Dorothy married Robert Zewe.  In 1961 they moved from Pittsburgh, PA to Erie, PA, where they owned and operated the Village Dairy in the Erie Central Mall until 1975.  They purchased the Girard Dinor in 1975.  After her husband died, she sold the dinor in 1981.  In January of 1982 she was hired as a secretary in the Nuclear Engineering Department at Copes-Vulcan in Lake City, PA.  She retired from Copes-Vulcan on June 30, 1993. 

Dorothy was a wonderful and caring wife, mother, and grandmother.  Even though there was a lot of busyness, she loved having the whole family for dinner at her house for all the holidays and wouldn’t have it any other way.  Motherhood was truly her vocation.  She was a devout Catholic and lived her faith.  She led by example and was respected and loved by everyone who knew her.  Dorothy attended daily mass and was a prayer warrior.  She was one of the first two Eucharistic Ministers appointed by Father Webber at St. John the Evangelist Church in the mid-1980’s.  One of her sayings her children heard often was “God has been so good to me”.  No matter what she was handed in life, good and bad, she knew God would take care of her.  After retirement she visited the sick every First Friday.  She also took care of the candles in the church.  She would volunteer for anything the church needed.  She was a very humble person. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bob, who passed away on May 15, 1980; a daughter, Nancy Pesch; a son, David Zewe; three brothers, Charles Houpt, Henry Houpt, and Father Samuel Houpt; five sisters, Sister Mary Carol Houpt, SSJ, Emma Glassbrenner, Erma Houpt, Esther Arch, and Patricia Houpt.

She is survived by two daughters, Mary Knorr (Bob) of Girard, PA, and Robin Dewey (Dan) of Fairview, PA; two sons, Michael Zewe (Beth) of Cranesville, PA, and Joseph Zewe (Laura) of Pittsburgh, PA; her daughter-in-law, Karen Zewe of Yardley, PA; her son-in-law, Richard Pesch of Franklin, PA; and one sister, Trudy Flaherty of Pittsburgh, PA; 19 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at Manchester Commons for their care and compassion their mother received while she was a resident, especially, Colleen, Sara, Michelle, Theresa, Carla, Toshanna, Kara (in activities), and Sandy (served the meals).

Friends may call on Wednesday from 3PM to 7Pm at Edder Funeral Home Inc. 309 Main St. East, Girard. A prayer service will be held there on Thursday at 9:30AM followed by the funeral mass at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1001 Main St. East, Girard at 10AM with Rev. Scott Detisch officiating.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Emmaus Ministries, Inc., 345 East 9th Street, Erie, PA 16503; St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, P.O. Box 32, Girard, PA  16417; or have a memorial mass for Dorothy at the church of your choice.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dorothy A. (Houpt) Zewe, please visit our floral store.