Dorothy Ohrlund

Dorothy Ohrlund, a long-time resident of Storm Lake, passed away peacefully on January 23 at the age of 96 from complications of dementia. Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 27, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the CHURCH. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to The Robert and Dorothy Ohrlund Scholarship Fund at Buena Vista University 610 W. 4th St, Storm Lake, IA 50588; or to St. Mark Lutheran Church: 1614 W 5th St, Storm Lake, IA 50588; or Alzheimer's Association: 225 N. Michigan Ave. Floor 17 Chicago, IL 60601. The family wishes to thank the staff at Methodist Manor Retirement Center for the dedicated and compassionate care Dorothy received in her final years. Heart-felt thanks also to Pastor Dave Kebschull and the Stephen ministers at St. Mark Lutheran, friend Tami Ebel, St. Croix Hospice, Dr. Scott Wulfekuhler, and those whose cards, calls, and visits provided such wonderful support for both Dorothy and Bob. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Dorothy was born October 3, 1923, in White Sulphur, Kentucky, to Leonard and Debbie Bratton, the first of their six children. Just before the Great Depression, the growing family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Dorothy attended Woodward High School and was the first in her family to graduate from high school, ranking high in the business track of her class. A few years later while out roller skating with her sister Nancy, Dorothy met Robert, a handsome Army Air Force serviceman studying navigation at the University of Cincinnati. In 1945 Dorothy married Robert Ohrlund in Memphis, Tennessee, on the day before Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s funeral. After Robert’s military service was complete, they resided and she worked in Iowa Falls and later in Iowa City, where he was a pharmacy student at the University of Iowa. They moved to Storm Lake after his graduation in 1950, building a full and successful life and raising their five children. Dorothy and Bob were founding members of St. Mark Lutheran Church, and she sang in the choir and was the church historian. They were the owners of Ressler Drug Company in Storm Lake where she served as the accountant. In their retirement, Dorothy enjoyed traveling with Bob throughout the United States, as well as to Australia, Norway, and Sweden. She came to help out the grateful new mothers and fathers after the births of all her grandchildren. Dorothy was predeceased by her parents, her brother Clarence, and sisters Nancy, Hazel, Ruby, and June. She is survived by her husband of 74 years, Robert Ohrlund; by her five children Bonnie Ericson (Dan Blake) of West Hills, CA; Barbara Johnson of Eagan, MN; John Ohrlund (Terry) of Buffalo Grove, IL; Beverly Reuter (Stan) of Wilton, IA; and Curtis Ohrlund (Erin) of LeMars, IA, as well as fourteen grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Dorothy will be lovingly remembered for her fondness of bridge, canning and pickling, crossword puzzles, ballroom dancing, and visits from her Cincinnati sisters. Above all, Dorothy was devoted to her husband and family. All of us will cherish and love her forever.

Dorothy Ohrlund

October 3, 1923 - January 23, 2020