Dorothy Helen Juhnke, age 90, passed away peacefully on the morning of June 1, 2021 at Brookdale Assisted Living in Faribault, MN following a gradual battle with heart disease.
Dorothy, the daughter of Eugene and Marie (Martin) Jarvis, was born on June 26, 1930 in Faribault, MN. She attended Faribault Senior High School and graduated with the class of 1948. Just prior to her graduation and at the young age of 17, her mother introduced her to William (Bill) Juhnke, who Marie worked with at the Faribault State School. Smitten with one another, they married on February 18, 1950, at St. Lawrence Church in Faribault and had two daughters, Linda and Carolyn.
In addition to being a loving mother and wife, Dorothy maintained an active career and worked tirelessly for the balance of her life. While Bill served in law enforcement on the Faribault police force, Dorothy worked for 36 years as a Merchandise Manager for Gopher Shooter’s Supply in Faribault until the company closed its doors in the late 1980s. In 1988, Dorothy restarted her career with G&H Property Management as a property manager working part time at the historic Hotel Faribault Apartments and part time managing Central Elderly Apartments, where she earned a reputation for running a tight, tidy and organized ship.
Throughout their marriage, Dorothy and Bill enjoyed spending time with their family, traveling both near (Mystic Lake) and far (Las Vegas) where they enjoyed pulling a slot machine every now and then. They were actively involved in the lives of their grandchildren, proudly attending sporting events, and band/orchestra concerts.
After Bill passed away in May of 1998, Dorothy became a resident at Central Elderly Apartments where she continued to serve as the property manager until she was physically unable to do the job. During her time at Central Elderly, she became an avid reader of romance novels and enjoyed crafting handmade thank you and greeting cards that she would diligently mail to friends and family with handwritten sentiments. Always social and known by many around town as “Dottie,” she forged lasting friendships and enjoyed meeting up with dear friends in the community room every evening for a game of Skip-Bo. She also enjoyed walking a few blocks down to Bernie’s for coffee and breakfast with friends where she was a regular patron a few days a week.
Dorothy eventually became a great-grandmother and just as she loved and supported her daughters and grandchildren, she proudly and excitedly enjoyed visiting her great-grandson and three great-granddaughters. Dorothy lived life to the fullest and with admirable determination and a sharp mind until the day she left this earth. She will be deeply missed by her family, her many friends, and the Faribault community where she lived her entire life.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Linda (John) Keilen of Faribault and Carolyn (James) Nowak of Ellendale; grandchildren, Kirsten (John) Holmseth, Camie (Brent Kieke) Keilen, Kristina Nowak, and Joshua (Kristin) Keilen; great-grandchildren Caleb Kieke, Lauren and Allyson Holmseth, and Harper Keilen; sister-in-law, Sandra Jarvis, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Bill; parents, Eugene and Marie; and her siblings, Betty Kniefel, Harold Jarvis, Robert Jarvis, and Kathleen Larson.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home with Bernadette Tatge, Pastoral Minister at Divine Mercy Catholic Church officiating. Interment will be held at Meadow Ridge Memorial Park in Faribault. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed through a link found on Dorothy’s obituary page.
Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home on Tuesday morning from 10:00-11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that you plant a tree or shrub in Dorothy’s memory or share a memory (at the service or on her Tribute Wall).
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
10:00 - 11:00 am (Central time)
Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Starts at 11:00 am (Central time)
Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Starts at 12:00 pm (Central time)
Meadow Ridge Memorial Park
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