Dottie G. (1933-2015)

Dorothy (Dottie G.) Gutenkauf, April 2015

I first met Dottie a couple of years after I moved to Plainfield and got involved in a school board campaign on behalf of a mutual friend. After that campaign, I found myself on the opposing side of Dottie during a local and ongoing battle regarding Plainfield Democratic politics, even though we shared leftist sentiments on a number of non-local issues. In the intervening years, there were still areas of agreement, especially those revolving around LGBT issues and the fight to save Muhlenberg RMC. 

When I ran for city council as an independent Democrat for the first time 5 years ago, I was again on the opposite side, as Dottie supported my opponent. After I won, however, Dottie supported my efforts as a newly-minted elected official. During Hurricane Sandy, in 2012, I stopped by her house to check on her and Joe. She invited me in and we had a long chat about politics, Plainfield, Muhlenberg, and also about Joe, whose health was rapidly declining. 

Since that time, Dottie and I worked together on some local issues. When I ran for re-election last year, Dottie broke with the local powers-that-be and supported me. For that, I thank her. I also thank her for being committed to the fight for Muhlenberg, and for her strong support for the future of Plainfield.

Rebecca