Katherine Dole

Katherine (Kay) Turner Dole died April 24, 2008 peacefully in her sleep. Born February 10, 1917 in Minneapolis to Lydia & Vernon Turner. Preceded in death by a brother, Ralph, and sisters Mary Ryburn, Margaret Ellefson and Dorothy Bank. She graduated Central High in 1934 and in 1937 was awarded a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

She worked at Dayton Co. before college and married David W. Dole, also of Minneapolis, in 1939 moving with her husband to Chicago. After several years service with Marshall Field Co. they settled in nearby Des Plaines and raised three sons.

Along with her dedication as mother, wife and homemaker, she was immersed in the community life of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, Illinois and the A.O.Pi sorority which had empowered her to attend college.

Along with David, Kay was devoted to the geneology of Kay’s Norsk-American roots, which focused on Kay’s great-grandmother and spouse who settled near Cambridge, Wisconsin about 1836. They organized a family reunion of 234 ‘cousins’ in 1985 in Decorah Iowa, timed to coincide with the annual Nordic Fest. In 1986 they led a 40-member heritage tour of cousins and friends to Norway, from it’s southern tip 1,100 miles north to the Russian border.

In 1967 Kay and David returned to Minnesota to be near two sons and many lifelong friends. Settling in Northfield, Kay served the Norwegian American Historical Association and its adjunct, now the Norwegian-American Geneological Center, in Madison, Wisconsin. Then in 1996 they relocated to Friendship Village retirement community in Bloomington.

Over many years, Kay’s passion for sending cards endeared her to friends and family alike. She never missed a birthday or anniversary, holding childhood friends dear across thousands of miles and many years of separation. Traveling by motorhome, she and David renewed the friendships in person when they could, from Maine to California.

Surviving Kay are her devoted husband David Dole, three sons, Brian Dole of Eden Prairie, MN with granddaughter Caitlin attending Carlton College, Kevin Dole and wife Marion of Sherman Oaks, CA and grandchildren Elena and Eric, and Gary Dole and wife Cyndi of Naperville, IL with grandchildren Joshua, Elizabeth and Hannah.

Family Funeral Services were held 10am Monday, April 28th at the Chapel of Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis with burial at Lakewood. Memorial Services will be held 2pm Monday, May 13th at Friendship Center Hall; 8100 Highwood Dr; Bloomington, MN. Arrangements by the Bierman Funeral Home of Northfield.