Dottie Troeger of North Bend, OH passed away on Wednesday morning, January 20th, 2010 at the age of 72 years old after a hard fought six month battle with cancer.  Dottie is one of the most senior and well known skiers in the State of Ohio and is sure to have touched the heart of anyone who came in contact with her. Dottie is the grandmother of MCWSA skiers Chris Van Treese and Ben Van Treese.

Dottie skied in her first National Championship in 1969 at Myers Lake in Canton, OH.  In 1972 she bought her first pair of "store bought" trick skis, prior to that she competed on homemade skied built by her husband Ron.  Throughout the 70's Dottie and Ron skied at Happy Lake in Fairfield, OH which was eventually moved to Morrow, OH.  Around 2000, the Troeger's started skiing in Walton, KY at Cruises Creek where they skied every afternoon through last summer.  From 1998 to 2008 Dottie took Top 3 in tricks at Nationals and Top 5 in slalom every year with National Trick Titles in 2002, 2003, 2006, and 2007.  Dottie currently holds the midwest all tournament records for W7 & W8 Tricks with 2,170 & 1,860 points respectively.  She also holds the W8 midwest championship record in trick and the W7 and W8 midwest record capable tournament records in trick.  With so many top regional and national performances, it's no surprise that Dottie also holds the W6, W7, & W8 State Records in both trick & slalom.  On top of so many skiing accomplishments, Dottie also found time to be a senior rated 3-event judge and was also a scorer.

It's hard to describe in words how much Dottie will be missed at the lake every weekend but there are a number of skiers whose lives Dottie has touched:

"Such a fun & loving woman. I'll always cherish the things I learned from her. RIP"  -- Calli Newman, Cincinnati, OH

"I am one of very few that goes back into the mid 1960's as a young boy remembering Dottie. Her and Ron and later Miss Libby , always would attend the Athens Boat and Ski Club tournaments on the Ohio river. She was a goddess on the water. The countless years of service she has dedicated to water skiing in Ohio, makes her the godmother of water skiing in Ohio.  She will never be forgotton and I will truly miss her."  -- Mike Meek, Albany, OH

"I will always hear her yelling from the boat....PULL!"  -- Debbie Kern, Fairfield, OH

"I feel like I didn't even know her that long but she was one of the coolest people I've ever met. I will miss her."  -- Brad Ruff, Cincinnati, OH

"Tournaments will always be missing a little something without Dottie there.  I still remember the first time I met Dottie.  It was my first AWSA tournament ever and was held at Hidden Lake in 1999.  Not only was she the first skier to come up and ask me how I did after I skied but she was by far the most energetic person at the lake and was always excited when the kids skied."  -- Greg Kuenning, Cincinnati, OH

"Water skiing has lost another great friend and ambassador."  -- Tim McKune, Lexington, KY

"She was a great lady."  -- Karl Dammeyer, St Marys, OH

"She was an amazing woman, I learned so much from her."  -- Casey Thress, Cincinnati, OH

Our hearts and prayers go out to Dottie's husband Ron, her only daughter Libby Van Treese, along with Dottie's son-in-law Jeff and Dottie's four grandchildren Adam, Chris, Ben, & Emily.  Dottie is also survived by her 93 year old mother and a brother.  Rest In Peace Dottie.