Dorothy Crabtree

Dorothy Crabtree, age 87, of Decorah, IA, died on Saturday, February 13, 2016, at the Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah, IA. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 8, 2016, at the Aase Haugen Senior Services, 4 Ohio Street, Decorah, IA, with Rev. Melissa Bills presiding. Burial will be in the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, Decorah, IA. Friends may call after 1:00 p.m., on Friday, April 8, 2016, at the Aase Haugen Senior Services, 4 Ohio Street, Decorah, IA. The Schluter – Balik Funeral Home in Decorah is handling the arrangements. Dorothy Mae (Johnson) Crabtree was born on April 24, 1928, the daughter of John and Rocella (Vangsness) Johnson, near Decorah, IA. Dorothy attended rural country school and then Decorah Community Schools. Dorothy worked as an aide at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home. She was united in marriage to Norman Keith Crabtree on May 8, 1946, in Evanston, IL, and they were the parents of three children: Kenneth, Alan and Roxann. In the younger years, Dorothy stayed at home and raised their children. She worked in a restaurant and also at Nissen’s, in Cedar Rapids; sewing gymnastic mats for children. Dorothy enjoyed canning foods, doing word searches and sewing. Dorothy was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Decorah. Dorothy is survived by her two children: Alan Crabtree, Cedar Rapids, IA, and Roxann Gardner, Martinsburg, West Virginia. Two granddaughters: Kelly (Paul) Chin and Kimberly Davis. Four great granddaughters: Hailey & Savannah Davis and Saya & Nora Chin. One brother: Ronald (Joanne) Johnson, Hartford, SD. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents: John and Rocella (Vangsness) Johnson. Her husband of sixty-eight years, Norman Keith Crabtree who died on Aug. 2, 2015. Her father-in-law and mother-in-law: Archie and Hazel (Gillette) Crabtree. One son: Kenneth Crabtree. One brother: Edgar (Lou) Johnson.