Obituaries & Guestbook

March 24, 1937 – June 25, 2025
Dorothy Lessel, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully in her home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in June 2025, at the age of 88.
Born on March 24, 1937, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Dorothy lived a rich life rooted in family, laughter, tradition, and love. She married the love of her life, Alfons “Big Al” Lessel, in 1958 after meeting him at a dance where he famously made her buy her own ticket. Together they lived in Mettlach, Germany, during Al’s military service before returning home to Sheboygan.
In 1961, Dorothy and Al purchased Radke’s Tavern with their in-laws, Maria and Alois “Little Al” Hoffmann. Dorothy spent 58 years working in the kitchen at Al & Al’s Bar and Grill, sharing her talents and warmth with the community until her well-earned retirement—where she could be found playing cards at the corner of the bar with a coffee or an Early Times Old Fashioned in hand.
Dorothy loved life’s simple pleasures: weekends at her Lakewood home on Strawberry Hill, playing cards with her dear friends, heading to the casino with “the ladies,” savoring a chocolate-covered orange peel, or dancing with her husband. She was an accomplished seamstress and accordion player, and she cherished the time spent teaching her granddaughters how to cross-stitch, bake schaumtorte, and, of course, wear a tiara.
She is survived by her loving daughters, Susan Patterson and Carola (Michael) Males; grandchildren Katrina (Nick) Kowalski, Holly Patterson, Todd (Michelle) Patterson, Michael Males Jr., and Nicholas Males; great-grandchildren Jack and Heike Kowalski; and the Patterson girls: Jessica (Jeff) Patterson-DeLonge, Megan (Nick) Mitchell, Abigail Patterson, and Jaclyn Patterson, along with her great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and brother-in-law Dave Delsman. Dorothy is also survived by our cherished family friend, Jan Hyland.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Alfons “Big Al” Lessel; her sisters Elaine (Louie) Rogers and Gladys Delsman; her in-laws, Alois “Little Al” and Maria Hoffmann, and a son-in-law Paul Patterson.
A graveside service will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday June 30, 2025, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Sheboygan. All who knew and loved Dorothy are invited to a celebration of life at 3:00 p.m. Monday at 922 N. 36th Street, Sheboygan.
Our family will be forever grateful for the kind, peaceful, and compassionate care provided by Kathy Steinbrecher and the professionals at Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice. They are truly a blessing—God’s angels on earth.