Dora A. Mohlis

Dora A. Mohlis, age 85, of Decorah, Iowa, died Thursday morning, December 5, 2013 at Barthell O.E.S. Home in Decorah. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Monday, December 9, 2013 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. David Sorensen and Rev. Bryan Robertson officiating. Private Family Inurnment will be in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah. Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 8 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, and on Monday beginning at 12:00 P.M., one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church. Dora Aleen (Fay) Mohlis was born on a farm in the hills north of Wadena, Iowa on August 16, 1928 to George W. and Beulah M. (Askey) Fay. She was the youngest of seven children. At age four, she attended country school. She continued her education from first grade through ninth grade at Wadena Public Schools. After spending tenth grade at Fayette High School, she finished at East Waterloo High School, graduating in 1946. She then attended Iowa State Teachers College (UNI) for a year where she studied interior design. During high school, she worked at the soda fountain in Stricker Drug, at Davidson’s Wilco, and Wonder Bakery. On December 28, 1947 she married LaVern R. Mohlis at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cresco, Iowa. Together they raised five children. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary last December before Vern passed away in April. Dora and Vern moved numerous times during Vern’s career with People’s Natural Gas Company. During that time, Dora worked at the newspaper office in Anamosa, IA, Pohlman Motors in Auburn, NE, and Sears in Eagan, MN. After retirement, they enjoyed their time on Crow Wing Lake near Brainerd, MN, where they entertained family and friends with wonderful meals, boat rides, fishing excursions, water skiing, and lots of card games and Yahtze. Dora had many talents. She enjoyed creating beautiful pictures out of pressed flowers as well as wreaths from pine cones. She was an avid quilter for her family and church. Her grandchildren enjoyed wearing the delightful clothes she made for them. She also loved to read and passed this trait on to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Many organizations in many communities benefitted from her willingness to volunteer, from cub scout and blue bird troops to church bazaars and chaperoning school trips. Dora was a gracious hostess for friends and family alike and she was a wonderful cook. She was constantly serving her family members so they could enjoy their time together. There were always pies, cookies, cakes and other goodies to be enjoyed, and candy in the candy dish. She and Vern enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends and relaxed during several winters in Florida. Dora is survived by her children: Vicki (Mark) Donhowe of Decorah, IA, Kathryn (Steve) Severson of St. Cloud, MN, Robert (Cathy) Mohlis of Savage, MN, and Lisa (David) Kittleson of Blue Earth, MN; her grandchildren: Lea (Mark) Lovelace of Decorah, Sara (Joshua) Goldberg of Takoma Park, MD, Christopher Severson of St. Cloud, MN, Lacey (Casey) Burres of Bloomington, MN, Betsy (Nathaniel) McIntyre of Minneapolis, MN, Heidi (Jeremiah) Schutt of Winnebago, MN, Emily Kittleson of Minneapolis, MN, Hans Kittleson of Blue Earth, MN, Amanda Mohlis of St. Paul, MN, and Zachary Mohlis of Farmington, MN; and her great grandchildren: Noah Lovelace, Ada Lovelace, Charlotte Goldberg, Amelia Goldberg, Micah Goldberg, Olive Burres, Penelope Burres, and Posey Burres. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Modesta DeLong (Dr. John), Nica Corkery (Bill), Ethel Crandall (Howard), her brothers, Herbert (Eileen), Gordon (Bernice) and John (Opal); her husband, LaVern on April 25, 2013; and a son, M. Kurt Mohlis on January 14, 2008. Memorials may be given to Barthell Order of Eastern Star Home, 911 Ridgewood Drive, Decorah, IA 52101, Decorah Lutheran Church, 309 Winnebago St, Decorah, IA, or a cancer research organization of choice.