Dorothy (Dottie) S. Petersen
d. January 23, 2020
Dorothy (Dottie) S. Petersen
Dorothy (Dottie) Sylvia Petersen, age 93, passed from this life peacefully with family at her side, on Thursday, January 23, 2020 at The Glenn Senior Community, in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Born June 20th, 1926 at home in Buchanan, Iowa to Marion Clifton Emrich and Antoinette Ruth Stepanek, as the middle child of their nine children, she attended country school and graduated from Tipton High School, in 1943.
For 68 years Dottie was married to her sweetheart, Marvin (Marv/Doc) H. Petersen, who she often said was “the best thing that ever happened to me.” They met shortly before Marv entered the Navy during World War II. While he was serving his country in the South Pacific, Dorothy took college business classes, enjoyed work as an executive secretary and helped with the war effort by soldering radios at Collins Radio (Rockwell Collins) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When Marv returned from the service, they married June 1, 1947 at the First Presbyterian Church in Mechanicsville, Iowa.
Following Marv’s graduation from Lincoln Chiropractic College in Indianapolis, IN they moved to Britt, Iowa where he started his Chiropractic practice in 1952 and Dottie worked as a legal secretary for the Senneff and Buck Law Firm until they started their family. Being a mother was Dottie’s favorite career and she loved nothing more than being home raising their daughters, Elizabeth and Julia.
Her greatest joy came from her family and her most treasured roles in life were being a proud Wife, devoted Mother, spoiler of Son-in-Laws, and loving Grandmother and Great Nana. To her family and friends she was as sweet and kind as they come - she blessed those around her as she found the best in everyone, always made time to listen without judgement and stood by you with positivity, prayers and faith. In her presence, you never doubted how much she loved you. She was truly a beautiful human being in every way.
As a devoted member of her church, the Britt Congregational United Church of Christ, she sang in the choir, was a Deaconess and Trustee and was involved in several church circles. In the community she kept busy with the Britt Women’s Club and was active with The American Red Cross Blood Drive.
Summers found her at the Britt Country Club enjoying golf and gardening in her beautiful gardens, while winters found her watching sports with Marv and playing cards with friends. She loved spending time in the kitchen where she was an especially talented baker much to the delight of family and friends.
After their girls were grown Dottie enjoyed working with her husband, Marv, as the office receptionist at his chiropractic practice until they retired in 1989. In their retirement years they moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas. There they volunteered, joined the Presbyterian church, plus golf leagues and card clubs (where she sometimes made up her own rules when playing with family) and enjoyed life’s fun together entertaining, traveling and creating memories of love and laughter.
In 2014, to be closer to family they moved to The Glenn Senior Community in Minnetonka, MN where they gathered with new friends and were thankful for The Glenn’s wonderful, kind-hearted staff.
God has taken her home to heaven now but we have her in our hearts always. She will be deeply missed but her joyful spirit will be carried on by her cherished family. Daughter, Elizabeth (Jeff) Stevenson of Atlanta, Georgia, grandsons, Mathew and Eric Stevenson, Panama City, Florida. Daughter, Julia (Kevin) Prohaska, Wayzata, Minnesota, grandson, Zachary (Suzanne) Prohaska, great grandchildren Noah, Emma and Lily of Richmond, Virginia and grandson, Jordan (Katie) Prohaska of St. Louis, Missouri. Also sister-in-law Betty Emrich, Tipton, Iowa and many nieces and nephews.
Dottie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents, 6 brothers, 2 sisters and 3 nieces and 2 nephews.
She lived a full and happy life and we will honor her with a private family celebration at a later date with burial at the Evergreen Cemetery, Britt, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to The Glenn Senior Community, 5300 Woodhill Road, Minnetonka, MN 55345 or the Alzheimers Association.
Written in her autograph book of 1944 by a friend at Collins Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa:
When the golden sun is sinking; And you rest beneath the sod. May your name in gold be written; In the autograph of God.
Born June 20th, 1926 at home in Buchanan, Iowa to Marion Clifton Emrich and Antoinette Ruth Stepanek, as the middle child of their nine children, she attended country school and graduated from Tipton High School, in 1943.
For 68 years Dottie was married to her sweetheart, Marvin (Marv/Doc) H. Petersen, who she often said was “the best thing that ever happened to me.” They met shortly before Marv entered the Navy during World War II. While he was serving his country in the South Pacific, Dorothy took college business classes, enjoyed work as an executive secretary and helped with the war effort by soldering radios at Collins Radio (Rockwell Collins) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When Marv returned from the service, they married June 1, 1947 at the First Presbyterian Church in Mechanicsville, Iowa.
Following Marv’s graduation from Lincoln Chiropractic College in Indianapolis, IN they moved to Britt, Iowa where he started his Chiropractic practice in 1952 and Dottie worked as a legal secretary for the Senneff and Buck Law Firm until they started their family. Being a mother was Dottie’s favorite career and she loved nothing more than being home raising their daughters, Elizabeth and Julia.
Her greatest joy came from her family and her most treasured roles in life were being a proud Wife, devoted Mother, spoiler of Son-in-Laws, and loving Grandmother and Great Nana. To her family and friends she was as sweet and kind as they come - she blessed those around her as she found the best in everyone, always made time to listen without judgement and stood by you with positivity, prayers and faith. In her presence, you never doubted how much she loved you. She was truly a beautiful human being in every way.
As a devoted member of her church, the Britt Congregational United Church of Christ, she sang in the choir, was a Deaconess and Trustee and was involved in several church circles. In the community she kept busy with the Britt Women’s Club and was active with The American Red Cross Blood Drive.
Summers found her at the Britt Country Club enjoying golf and gardening in her beautiful gardens, while winters found her watching sports with Marv and playing cards with friends. She loved spending time in the kitchen where she was an especially talented baker much to the delight of family and friends.
After their girls were grown Dottie enjoyed working with her husband, Marv, as the office receptionist at his chiropractic practice until they retired in 1989. In their retirement years they moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas. There they volunteered, joined the Presbyterian church, plus golf leagues and card clubs (where she sometimes made up her own rules when playing with family) and enjoyed life’s fun together entertaining, traveling and creating memories of love and laughter.
In 2014, to be closer to family they moved to The Glenn Senior Community in Minnetonka, MN where they gathered with new friends and were thankful for The Glenn’s wonderful, kind-hearted staff.
God has taken her home to heaven now but we have her in our hearts always. She will be deeply missed but her joyful spirit will be carried on by her cherished family. Daughter, Elizabeth (Jeff) Stevenson of Atlanta, Georgia, grandsons, Mathew and Eric Stevenson, Panama City, Florida. Daughter, Julia (Kevin) Prohaska, Wayzata, Minnesota, grandson, Zachary (Suzanne) Prohaska, great grandchildren Noah, Emma and Lily of Richmond, Virginia and grandson, Jordan (Katie) Prohaska of St. Louis, Missouri. Also sister-in-law Betty Emrich, Tipton, Iowa and many nieces and nephews.
Dottie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents, 6 brothers, 2 sisters and 3 nieces and 2 nephews.
She lived a full and happy life and we will honor her with a private family celebration at a later date with burial at the Evergreen Cemetery, Britt, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to The Glenn Senior Community, 5300 Woodhill Road, Minnetonka, MN 55345 or the Alzheimers Association.
Written in her autograph book of 1944 by a friend at Collins Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa:
When the golden sun is sinking; And you rest beneath the sod. May your name in gold be written; In the autograph of God.
To send flowers to the family in memory of Dorothy (Dottie) S. Petersen, please visit our flower store.
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