Doris Specht

Doris I. Specht, 96, of Detroit Lakes, MN died Thursday, June 18, 2009 at Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes. The Funeral Service will be 2:00 PM Monday, June 22 at the Emmanuel Nursing Home Chapel in Detroit Lakes with Reverend Mark Kuether officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the nursing home on Monday.


Doris I. Specht was born March 10, 1913 in Viroqua, WI to Clarence and Elfreda (Peterson) Nelson. She received her early education in Westby, WI. Doris moved to La Crosse, WI with her family in fourth grade and completed her education there. She moved to Detroit Lakes with her family in 1933 and worked in the creamery department at Swifts, also at the Blanding department store and as a nanny; primarily for children of educators in the Detroit Lakes school system. Doris retired in 1985. She had lived at Park Manor in Detroit Lakes from 1979 to 2005 and had been a resident of Emmanuel Nursing Home for the past four years.


Doris enjoyed knitting, needlepoint, listening to her police scanner, the activities at McDonalds, watching the passing trains and spending time with her family. She also enjoyed her Scandinavian heritage, reading, watching birds, especially cardinals and going for rides with her sisters and brother-in-law, Henry Blanding.


Doris is survived by her son, Steve (Renee) Specht of Detroit Lakes; daughter-in-law, Gayle Specht of Buffalo, MN; three grandchildren, Denise Specht of Shoreview, MN, Becky (Mike) Bohnenstingl of Baxter, MN, Amy (Ryan) Anderson of St. Louis Park, MN; two great-grandsons, Michael Bohnenstingl and Tyler Anderson. She was preceded in death by her son, Pete Specht; three sisters, Harriet Hale, Elnor Blanding and Edith Sinclair.