Dorothy Blom

Dorothy E. Blom, 82, Detroit Lakes, MN, died Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at her home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley. Memorial services will be 1:30 PM Friday, May 11 at David-Donehower Funeral Home, Chaplain Vicki Marthaler, officiating. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home 1 hour prior to the service. Dorothy Emma Blom was born May 11, 1929 in Sewell, Manitoba, Canada to Albert and Natalie (Mantie) Recksiedler. Following her early education, she taught in Greenwald, Manitoba 1946. She then attended Normal School in Winnipeg, graduating in 1949. She taught at Queens Valley School in Vivian, Whytewold Beach, and Selkirk-Daerwood Schools prior to coming to the United States in 1953. She taught in the Detroit Lakes, MN area, 1953 – 1963. Dorothy was united in marriage to Wesley Blom December 28, 1956 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the 1960's Dorothy and Wes had a grocery store in the Shoreham area of Detroit Lakes, called Blom's Grocery. She taught in Audubon, MN 1963 – 1965 and as a special tutor at Rossman School in Detroit Lakes 1965 – 1966. They moved to Fergus Falls, MN in 1966 where she sold World Book Encyclopedias and was a field representative for the A.R.C. and a teacher for students needing home bound instruction. Starting in 1967, Dorothy taught kindergarten at Wendell, MN and began working on getting her Bachelors Degree at Moorhead (MN) State University. She graduated Cum Laude in 1970. She taught at Elbow Lake, MN 1973–1989. Wes died in 1980 and, that same year, Dorothy was named the Elbow Lake Teacher of the Year and the Grant County Teacher of the Year. She retired in 1989 after 22 years with the Elbow Lake-Wendell School District. She then moved to Florida where she taught at Grace Christian School at Okeechobee, FL. Her last years in Okeechobee she tutored students, played cards with friends, and spent her summers at Lake Sallie near Detroit Lakes, MN. She moved back to Detroit Lakes in March, 2011. Dorothy enjoyed meeting new people, helping her students reach their potential, traveling, being at Lake Sallie with family and friends, baking and gardening-especially growing hostas. Dorothy was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Okeechobee, Fl. Survivors include her children: Andy Blom of Detroit Lakes, Sue Blom of Grayland, WA and Rolf Blom of Linwood, MN; four sisters: Eldora Recksiedler of Duluth, MN, Marion (John) Wuotila of Duluth, MN, Verna Bergquist of Wahpeton, ND and Alice (Ed) Armstrong of Vancouver, BC.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral Home: David Donehower Funeral Home 609 Hwy 10 East Detroit Lakes, MN US 56501

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Previous Events

Visitation
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Service
Friday, May 11, 2012
cemetery
Friday, May 11, 2012

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