Detroit-born and Chicago-raised resident, Louis Dorn, is a man of many travels, life experiences and an even greater story to tell. With 3 other siblings, 2 parents and a long history of family being involved in the church as pastors or clergymen, it’s no wonder Mr. Dorn became a believer at a young age and continued to pursue his faith alongside his family for the entirety of his life.
Growing up, Louis was drawn to music and instruments. From fourth grade all the way through seminary, Louis and his siblings took violin lessons from their uncle. In college and seminary, he played in various groups at churches, religious events and was even in a quartet of stringed instruments!
After elementary and secondary schooling, Mr. Dorn entered seminary and thus began his greatest adventures; he found the love of his life, his best friend and his biggest passion, missionary work. Toward the end of his seminary degree, there was an urgent request for two missionaries in the Philippines. He and his best friend/roommate volunteered to go and invited their girlfriends to join them. They proposed and married quickly after graduation, went through quick but extensive training to prep them, and all four set off for the Philippines for a term of 4 years.
Little did Louis know, his heart would become so enraptured by the Filipino people that he and his wife would end up staying for 20 years and doing missionary and pastoral work in the slums of Manila. While there, he was also working for United Bibles Society, helping with the translation of the bible in Filipino language.
The first three Dorn kids were born, raised and educated in the Philippines. They attended “Faith Academy,” which was run by a group of missionary wives’ specifically for missionary kids in the Philippines. After the last term, The Dorn’s moved back to the United States, where the fourth child was born just hours after Kennedy’s assassination, in a hospital just miles from where the assassination occurred.
“It was a crazy day. All of the hospital staff was distracted by the event but my wife just pushed through. History changed that day and our family will never forget that day,” Louis said.
Louis and his wife moved and settled in New Jersey, where Louis commuted to the middle of New York City each day to work for the United Bibles Society, where he edited, helped translate, posted commentaries and created handbooks for nations across the globe. Their four kids had grown up, married, had kids and moved to various states and countries across the world.
After almost thirty years total working for UBS, Louis and his wife retired to North Carolina for almost 10 years and lived what he called “the dream.” They had a wonderful church, community, lifestyle and house. Both he and his wife knew they wanted to be near at least one of their children as they aged and Chicago seemed familiar and close so they began to look at options for Assisted Living.
With their son as a pastor in south Chicago, he knew which senior living communities deemed to fit his parents’ needs and desires for this next step of life. After looking at a handful, The Dorn’s chose Waterford in late 2010 and have been there since.
“From the moment we arrived, the staff here was welcoming and effective. Life is excellent here,” Louis said.
Mr. Dorn greatly enjoys the food and meals at Waterford and is an avid and faithful exercise class-goer. He enjoys being near his son and grandchildren and his other children visit as often as possible with their kids.
“I’ve had a very joyful and fulfilling life. My desire for the younger generations is to always treat everyone with kindness and do whatever it takes to help someone. I’ve spent my entire life helping others and I don’t regret one moment,” Louis said.
Louis Dorn says he is who he is today because of the great influences he had in his life including his parents, grandma and Dr. Eugene Knight, whom was his ‘spiritual mentor’ in the Philippines. One thing's for sure: Louis Dorn has left a mark on each person he has helped and come in contact with, and has left a legacy for younger generations to follow.
