Dorothy M. Larson

Saturday, February 5, 2022 7:56 pm

Dorothy M. Larson, age 96, of Decorah, died Friday morning, Feb. 4, 2022, at Wellington Place in Decorah.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah. Burial will be in the Madison Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday from noon to 2 p.m. at Fjelstul Funeral Home. 

Dorothy Marcella (Opsahl) Larson was born Dec. 4, 1925, in Mabel, Minn. She was the third of nine children, born to Clarence and Alma (Hosheit) Opsahl. They lived in a little house in Riceford, Minnesota across the road from the Lutheran Church where she was baptized. She went through the 8th grade in the school by the church. Dorothy went to high school in Mabel for two years, then took house cleaning jobs before she moved to Decorah with her sister. She worked in restaurants where she met Francis Larson. On Dec, 15, 1943, they were married at the Madison Lutheran Church Parsonage. They were blessed with three children: Dean, Diane, and Dennis.

Dorothy and Francis farmed with his parents, then bought their own farm in 1953. Dorothy worked years at the Aase Haugen Home in rural Decorah and later at Luther College cleaning Dorms and the Library. She and Francis loved to dance, spending many Saturday nights at Matters or the Highlandville School. She enjoyed going to her children’s, grandchildren’s, and even great-grandchildren’s sporting events, concerts, and activities. They enjoyed traveling and taking fishing trips with family and friends. She also loved playing cards, especially Euchre with her kids and grandkids, and she loved to win!

She loved coffee or a picnic under their big cottonwood tree, and their family coffee was at 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings. We still keep that up today! She is also known for her meatballs and potato salad.The last few years she lived at Wellington Place Assisted Living where she made many friends.  She was considered the Welcome Wagon to everyone. Dorothy died Friday morning Feb. 4, 2022, at Wellington Place Nursing Home at the age of 96.

Dorothy is survived by one daughter, Diane (Dennis) Young of Decorah; one son, Dennis (Debra) Larson of Decorah; one daughter-in-law: Caryl Larson of Decorah; ten grandchildren: Dena (Marc) Tangen, Lauri (Todd) Kaeser, Steven (Maria) Larson, Doreen (Dave) Holstad, Dawn (Harold) Youngblood, Darren (Dianne) Young, Jason (Melissa) Larson, Mike (Amber) Larson, Adam (Kim) Larson and David (Sara) Larson; 21 great-grandchildren; 12 great great-grandchildren; and 3 on the way; her brother Harold (Betty) Opsahl of Cedar Rapids, IA; her sister Shirley Erickson of Caledonia, MN; and one sister-in-law, Charmain Blagsvedt of Spring Grove, Minn. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Francis on October 22, 2016; her son Dean on June 13, 2014; three brothers, Clifford, Norman, and Robert Opsahl; and three sisters,  Ruby Erickson, Charlotte Neuhring, and Carol Torgerson.

Dorothy’s family would like to extend a special thanks to everyone for the prayers, caring concern and the many acts of kindness that have been extended to them during this difficult time.Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family.

Online condolences may be made at www.fjelstul.com