WILLOW LAKE — Dorothy Evenson, age 88, of Willow Lake and Bryant, died Saturday, July 27, 2024.
Funeral services are set for 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, at Grace Lutheran Church in Willow Lake, with Pastor Collin Beveridge officiating. Burial will follow at the Collins Cemetery in Willow Lake.
Her visitation is Thursday, Aug. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m., and one hour prior to the service at the Grace Lutheran Church in Willow Lake.
All are welcome back to the church following burial for refreshments and a time of remembrance.
Dorothy Ann Evenson was born November 10, 1935 in Rosedale Township, rural Willow Lake, to Merle and Bernice (Tibbetts) Warkenthien. She grew up on the same farm where she was born and that her grandparents had purchased in 1916.
She attended country school in Rosedale Township and graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1953. Dorothy and Truman Evenson were married February 21, 1954 and farmed there until Truman’s death September 4, 1994. To this union two children were born, Sherrie in 1957, while Truman was in the Army in Hawaii, and Terry in 1961.
Dorothy was employed at Citizens State Bank and Dakotah Bank in Willow Lake, Parkview Care Center in Bryant, the Bryant State Bank, and as a rural mail carrier until retiring Nov. 30, 2007.
She enjoyed helping Truman on the farm doing everything from running machinery to helping with the cattle and after Truman’s death she enjoyed helping Terry and being his “gopher.” Even though they all told her; “she ran in the same spot.”
In June 2010, she left Rosedale Township and moved to Willow Lake to an apartment. She wasn’t as concerned about a clean house or weeds in her garden as she was about family and friends. Dorothy attended all of Sherrie and Terry’s activities and as years went by; her grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s activities as well. She especially loved spending time with her family. She was an avid sports fan and never gave up on the Twins or Timberwolves and knew about many players on other teams.
Dorothy was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church, Willow Lake Senior Citizens, Bryant American Legion Auxiliary, and a former 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star.
Dorothy is survived by daughter, Sherrie (Wayne) Tellinghuisen; and son Terry (Gail) Evenson, all of Willow Lake; her grandchildren, Stephanie (Shawn) Thompson, Stacie (Brian) Rasmussen, Corey (Jennifer) Tellinghuisen, Zane (Lindsey) Tellinghuisen, Krista (Tyler) Moore, Tyson (Paige) Evenson, Alyssa Evenson, Aaron Wicks, and Nils Tore Halleraker, great-grandchildren, Ty and Nathan Wicks, Kelin and Brody Rasmussen, Kate, Lily, Evie, George, Bree and Mahley Tellinghuisen, Harper, Claire, and Everett Moore, Turner Evenson; step great-grandchildren, Kadee and Konrad Frankfurth; a brother, Ronald (Sue) Olson of Yankton; step-sister, Judy Thiel; sisters-in-laws, Evelyn Bjordahl, Barbara Evenson, and Lorraine (Kenneth) Warne; a special aunt Odella Tibbetts, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Truman; her parents; two brothers, Ernie and Glen (Carol and Janice) Warkenthien; sister, Janice Asleson; sisters-in-law, Carol Warkenthien, Janice Warkenthien Ardella Rydbom and Mary Taschner, four brothers-in-law, Albert Rydbom, Harold Evenson, Carleton Bjordahl, and Larry Taschner; and two step-fathers, Robert Olson and Theophil Kost.
