Dorothy M. Eklund

Dorothy M. Eklund, age 87 of Park River, ND, passed away Saturday, March 7, 2020 at the Park River Good Samaritan Center.

Dorothy Mae Thingelstad was born at home in Pinecreek, MN July 10, 1932 the daughter of the late Carl and Mildred (Erickson) Thingelstad.  She grew up and attended a one room school in Pinecreek, graduating from Roseau High School in 1950.

Dorothy married Robert V. Eklund September 22, 1951.  She was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Park River and, while raising their four children, kept busy with church activities such as teaching Sunday school, WELCA, Bible circle groups, faith and care work groups and church choir.  She was an active member in the local women’s DECCA club.  Dorothy worked at various jobs outside the home including waitress work, Sarah Coventry jewelry sales, census taker, Fjeld’s Fashions and a substitute mail carrier.  A sideline of Dorothy’s was to take in sewing and altering as well as sewing for her children and grandchildren.  After her youngest had graduated from high school she worked as a bookkeeper for North Star Co-op (Cenex) retiring after 25 years.  She was especially proud of the work she did on the Co-op’s newsletters.

Dorothy is survived by her children Lorie Clemetson, Park River, ND; Deanna (John) Hogan, Cape Coral, FL; Marco Eklund, Gold Canyon, AZ; Susan (Bobby) Gentry, Warrensburg, MO; grandchildren: Roberta (Steve) Ekman, Carly (Jim) Wright, Brian Clemetson, Melissa (Justin) Johnson, Calvin Eklund, Riley (Monica) Eklund, Bobby (Sarah) Gentry, Brett (Layne) Gentry; great grandchildren: Ava, Signe, Ellie, Chloe, Audrey, Camille, Cecily, Lukas, Jaxyn, Brody, Leilah, Ethan, and Caleb; sisters: Vera Falk and Jan (Ross) Carr-Herseth, brother-in-law Harold Rognlie, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Floyd and Carol Eklund and many cousins, nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Fred and Gerda Eklund, sisters: Clarice Nelson and Margaret Rognlie, brothers-in-law: Erling Falk and Bob Carr, great grandson Laurel Robert Johnson, niece Roxanne (Eklund) Tengesdal and nephew Barton Rognlie.

Funeral Services will be Friday, March 13, 2020 at 10:30 A.M. at the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Park River.  Visitation will be Thursday from 5-7:00 P.M. with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Park River.  Friends may call at the church on Friday for one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be in the spring at the Memorial Park Cemetery, Park River.  In lieu of flowers donations are requested to the Park River Bible Camp, Park River Senior Center or the Park River Good Samaritan Society.