Dorothy Louise Roehlke

Dorothy Louise (Miller) Roehlke, age 91, of Minnetonka, formerly of Fridley, Minnesota, passed away on January 5, 2026. She was born on November 21, 1934, at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was baptized on May 5, 1935, at the Miller home on the family farm in Vasa Township, Minnesota, where she grew up as the second of three sisters. She usually walked or biked to grade school at the District #15 one-room schoolhouse about a mile from their farm. But on cold winter days, her dad would give the girls a ride to school in their horse-drawn sleigh. She was confirmed on May 23, 1948, at Vasa Lutheran Church, Vasa, Minnesota. She was active with the Luther League and traveled to Colorado for the League's International Youth Conference while in high school. She graduated from Cannon Falls High School on May 29, 1952. She was active in the verse choir (choral speaking), Latin club (was president), student council, band (played string bass), marching band (carried the flag), and school newspaper. She also loved ice-skating and collecting poems. On August 13, 1954, Dorothy graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from the Miss Woods Kindergarten-Primary Training School at Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota. Then she worked from 1954-1961 as a 2nd grade and kindergarten teacher for the Columbia Heights (Minnesota) District #13. Her school principal used her kindergarten teaching approach as the model for his master's thesis. Dorothy married Walter J. Roehlke on June 1, 1957, at Vasa Lutheran Church, and they made their first home in Columbia Heights, where they lived for eight years. In 1965, they moved to Fridley, Minnesota, where they lived until Dorothy moved into assisted living in Minnetonka, Minnesota, in 2021. Dorothy and Walter raised two daughters, Jolene and Nancy. She was a busy mom, volunteering at her daughters' school and supporting their many activities. Family vacations were spent in Hackensack and Duluth, Minnesota, with special trips to Florida, California, and Hawaii. Dorothy loved to make special foods and decorate their home in beautiful ways to celebrate Christmas, Easter, and other holidays. She was active in First Lutheran Church, Columbia Heights, where she was part of the Rebekah Circle Bible Study. Dorothy went back to work in January 1981 as a Health Assistant at Fridley Middle School. The next year began a 16-year profession as a Management Assistant at Rice Creek Elementary and Hayes Elementary in the Fridley School District where it was her privilege and joy to work with students in need of special education services. She retired in June 1997. Throughout her life, Dorothy enjoyed counted cross stitch, crocheting, sewing clothes for her daughters and their dolls, adorning her home with her ceramics, and crafting. She had a green thumb, growing bountiful indoor plants and outdoor flower gardens. She loved to shop at many places, but particularly at Dayton's and Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts and Foods. In retirement, she and Walter wintered in Venice, Florida. They travelled together to visit family in Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, Illinois, Arizona, California, Oregon, and New York. She also traveled to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. A highlight was meeting Swedish relatives and visiting historical family homes. She enjoyed flower gardening, her indoor plants, antiquing, spending time with her family and friends, talking about family history, nurturing her grandchildren, and taking neighborhood walks. She loved sending greeting cards to her circle of friends and family remembering birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and special occasions big and small. She also loved writing letters and talking on the phone. Dorothy is preceded in death by her parents, John Melvin Miller and Mary Florence (Jensen) Miller; step-mother Eleanore Theodora (Brage) Miller; beloved husband, Walter Justin Roehlke; sister Marian Elaine (Miller) Larson; and daughter Jolene Louise (Roehlke) Roehlkepartain. She is survived by daughter Nancy (Matt) Simoneau; son-in-law Gene Roehlkepartain; grandchildren Micah and Eli Roehlkepartain; sister BettyAnn (Allen) Hernke; godchildren Karen Noreen, Ron Haggstrom, Mark Roehlke, and Peter Hernke; nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and friends. Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 11:00am at First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights. Visitation one hour prior. Internment at Hillside Cemetery, Minneapolis. Memorials to First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights, 1555 40th Ave NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421. https://flcch.org/give/

Tributes

Dorothy Louise Roehlke

November 21, 1934 - January 5, 2026

Tributes

Dorothy Louise Roehlke

November 21, 1934 - January 5, 2026

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203