Dorothy Louise Vesledahl, 94, of Northfield, formerly of Nerstrand, passed away on October 10, 2024 surrounded by her family at the Northfield Retirement Center.
Dorothy was born on June 11,1930 in Dundas, MN to parents Howard William Grimes and Martha Josie (Jackson) Grimes.
She attended the Dundas School and Northfield High School. Dorothy worked as a waitress at the Sweet Shop and then as a clerk at the Paper Shop, both in Northfield. She married Elmer Vesledahl on October 18,1947 at the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Dundas. Elmer and Dorothy lived in Dundas for 2 years until moving to the family farm near Nerstrand where they had four children, Kenny, David, Danny and Sandy. Dorothy continued to work at the Paper Shop for 9 years then stayed home with the children and helped on the farm. The farm was also a favorite place for several nieces and nephews to visit and stay. In 1965 Elmer and Dorothy built their house on a portion of the family farm. Dorothy served on the Holy Cross Church council and was a Sunday School teacher. Elmer and Dorothy eventually became members of Vang Lutheran Church in Dennison where Dorothy served on the church council for a time.
Elmer and Dorothy loved spending time with neighbors, relatives and friends snowmobiling, fishing in Canada, going to the lake, camping and playing cards. After Elmer retired, they made several trips south in the winter. They were active members of the Jesse James Wheelers local Good Sam Camping Club, once holding a State Good Sam Campout on their farm during the Defeat of Jesse James Days with over 300 campers. They hosted family reunion "Corn Feeds" at their home which was a favorite annual event of the extended family for many years.
Elmer and Dorothy cooked the pig and carved it at the annual Defeat of Jesse James Days Hog Roast during the 90's and early 2000's. They were at one point given a plaque declaring them the "Official Mom and Dad" of the Defeat of Jesse James Days committee.
After Elmer's death in 2004, Dorothy continued to live in the family home until the age of 93, mowing her 3 acre lawn until the age of 90 when she was "convinced" to let someone else do it. She loved mowing her lawn and was very particular about its appearance.
Dorothy was known for her chocolate chip cookies. Anyone who ever visited her was sent home with a bag of cookies. She made many quilts over the years and sewed hundreds of quilt tops for the Vang Church missions. She also sewed catnip pillows for the Prairie's Edge Humane Society for several years which she would donate to them. She made thousands of these and was featured in a front page newspaper article for doing so. She loved Thursday coffee at the VFW and monthly coffee with the Dundas ladies. In the past year she has loved playing bingo at the Northfield Retirement Community.
She enjoyed spending time at Ken and Fern's cabin in Wisconsin with family and was always up for an adventure whether it be riding the ATV trails at 91 years old, visiting the winery, joining in the family "Olympic" games or going for a paddle boat ride with grandkids in her 80's. Her most recent adventure was declaring she was going on a motorcycle ride at the age of 93. The staff at Parkview East and her family made sure she got her wish and she rode a Can-Am Spyder several trips around the parking lot with her son.
She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend who was so loved and will be missed dearly.
Dorothy is survived by her children Ken (Fern) Vesledahl of Nerstrand, David (Jody) Vesledahl of Nerstrand, Dan (Donna) Vesledahl of Nerstrand and Sandy Vesledahl of Northfield; seven grandchildren Tara (Fred) Berndt, Kristy (John) Campbell, Holly (Cody) Carroll, Jacob Vesledahl, Carly (Alex) Strouth, Shannon (Jeremy Hullett) Vesledahl, Derek (Marilie) Vesledahl; ten great-grandchildren Connor Berndt, Claire Berndt, Carter Campbell, Kaylee Campbell, Cooper Campbell, Kinzey Vesledahl, Teal Vesledahl, Gunnar Vesledahl, Isaac Carroll, Hans Carroll; several nieces, nephews; and many other family and friends. Dorothy was preceded in death by her spouse, Elmer Vesledahl; three sisters, and two brothers.
The family would like to thank the staff at Parkview East, the Northfield Retirement Community Enhanced Care facility and Minnesota Hospice for the wonderful care of Dorothy.
Memorials preferred to Prairie's Edge Humane Society, Vang Lutheran Church or Valley Grove Cemetery Association.
A funeral service will be held at 11 AM, Wednesday, October 16, at Vang Lutheran Church, 2060 County 49 Blvd., Dennison. A visitation will be held from 4-7 PM, Tuesday, October 15, at Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home and will continue at the church one hour prior to the service. A reception will follow the service at the church. Interment will be in Valley Grove Cemetery, Nerstrand, MN.
Funeral arrangements are trusted to Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home & Crematory. www.northfieldfuneral.com
