Obituary of Dorothy Helen Larson

Dorothy went to be with her Lord and Savior on February 3, 2015 at St. Otto’s Care Center in Little Falls, MN. Dorothy Helen Larson (Hall) was born August 1, 1919 in Minneapolis, MN to Arthur Giles Hall and Anna Louise Hall (Dunn), married July 5, 1901. She was the sixth child of six in the family, Sylvester, Arthur, Beatrice, Bernice, Frances and Dorothy. Her mother died of Tuberculosis when Dorothy was two years old. Her father married Mary Bonta who came into the family with her son, Chester. Dorothy gained seven more brothers and sisters from this marriage plus Chester a total of 14 children. Dorothy’s half brothers and sisters were Mildred, Marion, Herbert, Mary, Kenneth, Adeline and Raymond. Dorothy grew up in N.E. Minneapolis attending Lowry Elementary and then Edison High School where she was the first in her family to graduate in 1938. During her high school years she became close friends with Jessie Lee Norton. Jessie Lee shared her salvation experience and her love of Jesus with Dorothy. Dorothy had never heard that she was a sinner and needed Jesus in her life. Dorothy asked Jesus to forgive her sins, accepted Him as her Lord and Savior and started attending Lowry Ave. Baptist Church with Jessie Lee where she grew in her faith. As a teen she also loved to play softball, swim and she learned to drive. After graduating she got a job downtown Minneapolis. She became involved in a group with Jessie Lee called KYB, “Know Your Bible”. That group provided her with years of Christian fellowship and growth in her faith. It was at the Lowry Ave. Baptist Church that she met Harwood Crocker who had moved to the Twin Cities from Iowa. They were married Dec. 20, 1940 at Lowry Ave. Baptist. Harwood and Dorothy were active in the KYB group for many years as a family. They had 3 children Daniel, Deanna, and Phyllis and raised them in N.E. Minneapolis. In the 50’s and 60’s the family owned a cottage on Elk Lake up by Zimmerman, MN and entertained dozens of families there. She also enjoyed water skiing and fishing with the family on the lake and in Canada. Later they moved to Cambridge, MN to live on Paul’s Lake. Dorothy took a job at the Cambridge Hospital as a Ward Secretary but soon was approached about working in the Surgical Dept. There she was trained as an Operating Room Technician. She assisted the Physicians during surgery for 17 years and just loved her work. She retired from the Hospital at 65 years of age in 1984. Her life revolved around her children and grand-children, her extended family, her KYB group and church. She loved to sew, read and travel, she and Deanna traveled to Europe in 1991 with friends. She was a sports enthusiast loving to speed skate, cross country ski and watch our beloved football on T.V. After Dad’s death in 1971 Dorothy felt led to be engaged to Emer Larson of Cambridge, MN. They were married July 21, 1973 at 1st Baptist and had 6 wonderful years together. They really enjoyed traveling. Dorothy was always an active member of a church, starting with Lowry Ave. Baptist, Powderhorn Park Baptist, Oak Hill Baptist, Spring Lake Park Baptist and Cambridge 1st Baptist. She was active in DVBS, Women’s Group and Serving Committees. After retirement she took a position on the Financial Committee counting the weekly offering for years every Monday morning. In the year 2004 the family noticed a change in her behavior patterns and we encouraged her to move from her apartment to a retirement center in Cambridge, River Hills now GracePointe Crossing. Later her son Dan’s health was not the best so Deanna and Phyllis asked if we could move Dorothy closer to Little Falls so we could watch over her care. Riverside Assisted Living in Royalton was just opening to new residents about this time. The family traveled up to visit one Saturday and we all liked what we saw and Dorothy moved into a lovely room in early 2007. She was comfortable there and saw Deanna and Phyllis often. Over the past few years Dorothy had dealt with several medical concerns until she moved to St. Otto’s Care Center in Little Falls in April 2013. Children and grandchildren left to cherish her memory Dan’s widow JoAnne Crocker of Cambridge, Deanna (David) Olson of Little Falls, Phyllis (George) Brooks of Royalton, Grant (Carrie) Crocker, Greta (Stacey) Nelson, Douglas Olson, Debra Olson, George (Brande) Brooks, Jennifer (Ron) Rush; Great grandchildren Cole, Sydney and Brook Crocker, Adelle, Bryant, Anna and David Nelson, Mikayla and Isabella Brooks, Alyshia Laughlin, Keagan Streed, Alex and Addison Rush; her 2 sisters Mildred Shonts of Glenwood, MN. and Mary VanderBorght of St. Paul, MN; and by 3 step-daughters Charlotte (Del) Christianson and family, MN., Sonja (Al) Franklin and family, MN., and Johanna (Fred) Axelrod and family, WI., plus many loving nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents Arthur and Anna, her 1st husband Harwood, her 2nd husband Emer, her son Daniel Arthur and eleven of her sisters and brothers.