Ocean County

Longtime Volunteer at Dottie’s House Remembered As Man Who ‘Served and Cared’ for Others

by
Daniel Nee
September 23, 2016

A dedication to Dottie’s House volunteer Bill Jungerman. (Photo: Carol Wolfe)

Bill Jungerman worked as a professional counselor, but even after work, he never stopped serving.

Jungerman, who died in 2015 at the age of 88, volunteered 10 to 12 hours a day, five days a week to help the women and children at Dottie’s House, a transitional housing for women and their children who have survived domestic violence.

“He loved the children and had such deep compassion for all of our residents that he preferred to spend his time with them to help them to recover from the damage done by physical and sexual abuse,” said Carol Wolfe, founder and CEO of Homes Now inc., which managed Dottie’s House. “He provided counselling with compassion and understanding, he helped move furniture, he baby-sat, helped with our events and was loved by all who came through our doors.”

In all, Jungerman volunteered over 10,000 hours.

Jungerman “gave so much of his time and heart to the women and children at Dottie’s House who were working hard to recover and change their lives and the lives of their children,” said Wolfe.

In his honor, the founders and employees of Dottie’s House, along with residents, quietly gathered earlier this month for a short remembrance ceremony that included Jungerman’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A dedication to Dottie’s House volunteer Bill Jungerman. (Photo: Carol Wolfe)

“Our residents prepared and served food and drink and each spoke of their own special memories of Bill’s kindness and the joy he took in watching them change and learn to love and respect themselves,” said Wolfe. “In order to honor and keep Bill’s memory alive for future residents, we dedicated a copper bench including a plaque with a quote from Bill: ‘don’t write the script.'”

“We all, at times experience something and then imagine what might happen, usually negative,” explained Wolfe. “Bill asked that we not write the script but make choices that will serve us best, and always look on the bright side.”