Dorothy Annabelle Gehrke

Dorothy Annabelle (Kvaal) Gehrke died peacefully of congestive heart failure at the age of 93 on May 27, 2025, in Roseau, Minnesota. Dorothy was an amazing person who touched many lives through her service to others and her many talents.

Dorothy was born near Nekoma, North Dakota, on December 16, 1931. It was the Great Depression and her family was poor. She and her six siblings learned to be thrifty and resourceful and to work hard. As a teenager, Dorothy worked at a neighboring farm where she did housework and curried the race horses. It was a thrill for her to attend races and see new places.

Dorothy graduated from Nekoma High School. She attended Mayville State Teacher's College for one year, then taught in a one-room schoolhouse where she often carried a disabled student on her back while tending to her other duties.

On June 10, 1951, she married Earl Gehrke of Aneta, North Dakota. His mother hid his army induction papers until after the wedding, but Earl had to leave soon thereafter. After basic training he was sent to Alaska, while Dorothy stayed behind to care for Earl's dying mother and his four younger siblings. At seven months pregnant, Dorothy flew in a rickety plane to join Earl in Anchorage. Daughter Erlene was born there. When the family moved back to North Dakota, Earl taught school in Langdon and daughter Pamela was born. The family's final move was in 1956 to Roseau, Minnesota, where sons Merlin and Dwight were born. The young family often camped in a travel trailer at state and national parks.

Dorothy was part of the Roseau community for almost 70 years. She worked at the Guest House for many years as a receptionist and assistant manager. Her common sense, people skills, and knowledge made her invaluable. She once ordered a distraught gun-waving patron to "put that thing down right now" and "stand right there and don't move." He did as he was told until the police arrived. 

Dorothy was a member of the Roseau Area Arts Council, Lady Slipper Garden Club, Friends of the Library, the Roseau Historical Society, and book club. She was a "Foster Grandma" at the school, where she won the trust of little children. She and Earl volunteered at The Pioneer Farm and Village, where she liked showing local groups how to make butter. She even worked as a court bailiff on occasion. In spite of her small stature, she commanded respect.

Dorothy lived her faith. At Messiah Lutheran she was an avid quilter and served with women's groups. One project close to her heart was sewing tiny keepsake gowns from handkerchiefs and old wedding dresses for babies who were miscarried or stillborn.

Dorothy excelled in the needle arts; her projects were always immaculately done. Her yard full of beautiful flowers attested to her skill with plants. When she could not be outdoors, she regularly conquered difficult jigsaw and word puzzles.

When Earl developed Parkinson's Disease, Dorothy proved to be a loving and faithful caregiver. They had been married for 61 years when he died in 2012. Since 2018 she had enjoyed the love and companionship of Bob Medalen. They enjoyed attending school events and took many extended road trips together, visiting relatives across the country and sightseeing along the way.

 Dorothy is survived by her four children: Erlene (Francis) DeCock of Moorhead, MN; Pamela Hammond of Rochester, MN; Merlin (Diane) Gehrke of Davenport, IA; and Dwight Gehrke of East Grand Forks, MN. Her six grandchildren are Nathan (Ellie Olson) DeCock of St. Paul, MN; Austin (Tara) DeCock of Moorhead, MN; Karl Hammond of Columbia, MO; Dena Hammond (Joel II) Weinberger of Murray, KY; and Hans (Bailey) Keimig-Gehrke of Dubuque, IA. Her great-grandchildren are Sophia, Sawyer, and Victoria DeCock; Oskar Olson DeCock; and Dorothy, Betsy, and Joel (III) Weinberger. She is also survived by her partner, Bob Medalen of Roseau; one sister, Betsy Carlson of Fargo, ND; sisters-in-law Irene Halverson of Phoenix, AZ, and Juliet Aslakson and Bonnie Gehrke of Aneta, ND.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents Peder and Ida (Borgen) Kvaal; her husband Earl; grandson Aaron Gehrke; great-grandchildren, Sam, Jordan, and Reagan DeCock; brothers, Francis and Karol Kvaal; sisters Helen Johnson, Ruth Cornell, and JoAnne Presley; brothers-in-law Frank Carlson, Louis Johnson, Stan Cornell, Charles Gehrke, Gene Gehrke, David Halverson, and Norman Aslakson; sisters-in-law Loretta Kvaal and Helen Gehrke; plus ten half-siblings.

The funeral will be held at 11 o'clock on Thursday, June 12, at Messiah Lutheran Church of Roseau. Visitation will be one hour prior, and a reception will follow the service.

Donations may be directed to the Earl Gehrke Education Scholarship at Roseau Public High School or to Messiah Lutheran Church of Roseau.

Helgeson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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