Belated Birthday Wishes to Dorothy Schleimer - Happy 96th !! : Horst Cerni

On March 22nd, Dorothy Schleimer celebrated her 96th birthday. More than a hundred days later, she’s still going strong—enjoying life with the same warmth and quiet determination we’ve long admired. That alone is reason enough to pause and celebrate a remarkable friend and former colleague. 

Thank you, Dorothy, for your dedication, good humor, and friendship. May you continue finding adventure in each new day.

I’ve known Dorothy for almost as long as I’ve known UNICEF. I first recall meeting her in 1966, during my early days with the organization. At the time, I believe she worked with Jack Charnow in the Executive Board office, though we had limited professional contact.

Joan Lassalle, who joined UNICEF in 1972, recalls that Dorothy’s career was broader than I realized. Dorothy initially worked in the Supply Division, then moved to the Executive Director’s Front Office, where she supported Barney Fraser and David Burgess. She later worked alongside Victor Beerman, the Special Assistant to the Executive Director, in a unit that eventually became the Programme Funding Office (PFO). Dorothy rose to become Chief of the Contributions Unit.

Joan began assisting Dorothy with project proposals and utilization reports and eventually became Assistant Reports Officer. The two became close colleagues and remain close friends to this day. Joan continues to be our best link to Dorothy.

My own connection with Dorothy deepened after I retired in 1995, when she became a driving force in keeping former colleagues connected.

Dorothy was the heart and soul of the WAWIG reunions—the “We Are Worth It Group”—a spirited network of UNICEF retirees in the U.S. The idea took root in 1989, when Kenneth and Elisabeth Grant invited a group of former staff to their home near Washington, D.C. Two years later, in 1991, the first official reunion was held in Philadelphia, and Dorothy was unanimously chosen as coordinator.

Over the next two decades, Dorothy helped organize nearly twenty reunions. She worked closely with local hosts to coordinate logistics and ensure each gathering had both substance and joy. When others couldn’t host, Dorothy stepped up—organizing six reunions herself, including a memorable one in her hometown of Myrtle Beach in 2009.

In 1999 and again in 2010, the reunions were held on St. Croix—occasions we remember fondly for their camaraderie and sunshine.

In her “spare time,” Dorothy was also an avid cruiser. Naturally, she extended that passion to her UNICEF family, organizing a cruise to the Bahamas for retirees in 2001.

Although WAWIG originally focused on former colleagues in the U.S., it gradually evolved into the broader XUNICEF community. As that transition unfolded, Dorothy slowly stepped back from organizing.

The 2010 St. Croix reunion may have been her last official involvement, but our friendship continued. She, Isabel, and I remained in touch, and she even joined us for our Golden Wedding Anniversary in 2013.

A year later, in July 2014, we met again during a cruise stop in Frederiksted, St. Croix. We shared lunch at a beachside café with colorful local flair—just one more memory in a long line of warm connections.

 

Here’s to Dorothy: friend, organizer, adventurer—and an inspiration to us all.

Horst Cerni