Dorothy Harty

Funeral Services for Dorothy M. Harty will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday at St. Theodore’s Catholic Church in Albert Lea. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at Bonnerup Funeral Services in Albert Lea and again one hour prior at the church. Interment will at St. Theodore’s Catholic Cemetery.

Dorothy passed away surrounded by many of her loved ones on Monday, April 9, 2018. She was 91 years old.

Dorothy Mary Ann (Nelsen) Harty was born June 23, 1926 in Albert Lea to Chris and Martena Nelsen. She was the youngest of seven children with six older brothers. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1944 and proudly worked on their many class reunions. On July 23, 1949 she married Richard (Dick) Harty in the St. Theodore’s Rectory.

She was member of St. Theodore’s Catholic Church. Dorothy was an active volunteer. She was a member and past-president of the American Legion Auxiliary; a charter member and past-president of the Knights of Columbus Auxiliary, treasurer of the Does, and a member of the VFW Auxiliary. In her pre-marriage days, she worked at the telephone office and DeSoto Produce. As her kids were growing, she worked in the office at Jim & Dude’s Plumbing as well as being the assistant manager at the Roadrunner Self-Service Gas Station.

Dorothy enjoyed each and every holiday and she would decorate her front bay window for the holiday or season. She enjoyed spending time with her many friends and going for Sunday rides around the community and the county. She especially enjoyed time spent with her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick in 1994; her parents; her six brothers and their spouses Guy (Verna), Russ (Theresa and Eva), Les (Bernadine), Bud (Millie), Don and Pete Nelsen; brothers-in-law Bill Barrus, Ted Harty and Gerald Harty; Sister-in-law Rose Marie Harty; her life-long best friend, Dorothy Jordahl, and four nephews.

She is survived by her son Dennis (Janet) Harty of New Prague; daughters Christine (Jim Clough) Harty of Brainerd; Susan (Paul) Knutson of Mantorville; and Mary Elizabeth Harty of Albert Lea; nine grandchildren: Sarah (Tim) Magnuson, John (Sarah) Harty and MJ (Ted) Gunderson; Josh Gulbrandson, Anne (Derek) Sternhagen and Kelly (Zac Russell) Gulbrandson; Aaron (Heather) Knutson, Casey (David) Berge and Riley (Hannah Elias) Knutson; and eight great-grandchildren Finnegan Michael Harty; Drake and Ashton Sternhagen; Brooks and Tayla Knutson; and Kamryn, Mac and Levi Berge.

She is also survived by brother-in law Charles (Mary) Harty, sisters-in-law Viola Nelsen, Mary Rita (Richard) Spellman, Joan Barrus and Gail Harty; along with many nieces and nephews.