Dorothy Wyne

Dorothy (Donie) Sidonie Groenke Wyne was born on September 14, 1939; the youngest of five
children, to Robert and Dorothy Groenke.Donie was an artist from a young age and attended the
University of Cincinnati to study Art. It was there that she met her future husband, Ancil E.
Wyne. Donie and Ancil married on July 5, 1958. They had four children, Kaleigh, Jenna, Kurt,
and Julie. Donie was a full-time mom while also continuing to focus on her art. She painted
anything from canvases to rocks with her own special style. In 1972 the family moved to
Seminole Florida due to Ancil’s job promotion. In Florida, Donie became a department manager
at Burdines Department Store, using her artistic skills to design and organize the furniture
department. Ancil and Donie both retired in 2000 and enjoyed spending time with family and
their many pets as well as gardening and relaxing in their backyard. Donie was an animal lover
throughout her life. She took in and rescued stray and injured animals and nursed them back to
health, many of them becoming permanent residents of the Wyne household. Donie was a strong
and loving wife and mother with Ancil preceding her in death in August of 2019. In 2020, Donie
moved to Raleigh, North Carolina to live with her daughter Kaleigh and her son-in-law Mike. In
2021, Donie became wheelchair bound and moved to Swift Creek Assisted Living Facility in
Cary, North Carolina. Donie enjoyed her years at Swift Creek participating in activities and
renewing her love of art. The walls of her room became papered with her drawings of animals
which she called her “wallpaper.” Many people who came into Donie’s room commented on the
joy her wallpaper brought them. Donie was visited often by all her children and enjoyed family
time with them. Donie died on May 10, 2024, with family by her side. She celebrated an early
Mother’s Day the weekend before with all her children which made her so happy. Donie is
survived by daughter Kaleigh Hessel and her husband Mike Hessel of Cary, NC, daughter Jenna
Schneller of Vero Beach, Fl, son Kurt Wyne and his wife Gail of Belleair, Florida and Juliet
Wyne and her husband Douglas Tabachnik of Manalapan, NJ. She is also survived by her
grandchildren Kurtis Hessel of Boulder, Co, Jeremy Hessel and his wife Amanda of Selma NC,
Justin Tabachnik of Manalapan, NJ and great-grandchildren Liam and Rowen Hessel of Salem,
NC, in addition to many nieces and nephews. A memorial will be held privately at a later date.
Donations may be made to the SPCA of Wake County, NC in lieu of flowers. To Donie:
Although you are gone from this Earth and there seems to be no end to our tears, we are grateful
for our memories of your love and kindness, your easy laugh and smile and your compassionate
heart. We will miss you every single day but are so grateful that we got to walk this life
alongside you and live in the joy and beauty you brought to the world. Rest in peace our
wonderful, beautiful Donie.