Dorothy J Johnson

Dorothy Jeanette Johnson (Nelson), 91 of Braham, MN, passed away on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at her home in rural Braham. 

She was born September 28, 1930, in Duluth MN, to parents William and Wilma (Sundbom) Nelson. She grew up in Duluth, moved to Braham in 1946 and graduated from Braham High School in 1948. After high school, Dorothy went to business school and was employed in Minneapolis at ADM. She met Arlowe Johnson and they were married January 6, 1951. They then purchased their rural Braham home and she remained there until her passing. 

Dorothy was employed at the Braham Bank for 25 years, then she worked at the Cambridge State Hospital and the Anoka Regional Treatment Center for an additional 20 years. Dorothy retired from her 45-year career in administration, accounting, and finance in 1997. After retirement, Dorothy took a more active role in the community, volunteering with many local organizations including Tusen Tack, Royal Neighbors, Braham Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Rice Lake Cemetery, and the Braham Garden Club. She was most proud of her work with the Tusen Tack Community Center Building Taskforce, which worked for years to build the Braham Event Center. 

She will be remembered for her community leadership, and her unwavering generosity, compassion, optimism, and inclusive nature. She enjoyed offering educational and career guidance to young adults through mentoring. 

She will also be remembered for enriching the lives of her own daughters and their friends in their younger years, taking an active role in their lives and activities, and bringing them along for many memorable Sunday skiing adventures in the big station wagon. She liked cooking, reading cookbooks, and buying kitchen gadgets.  She believed in the importance of staying informed about local and world affairs and was engaged in political activities up until the last days of her life.

Dorothy has been honored by receiving two special awards during her life: She was inducted into the Braham Hall of Fame and was named the Royal Neighbor National Fraternalist of the Year.

Dorothy loved people, and enjoyed visiting friends, and meeting new people. But most of all, Dorothy loved her family, who she led as a loving, and wise matriarch.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her parents, husband Arlowe, daughter and son -in-law Kathryn and Merlin Hirschorn, and brother Norman Nelson. 

She is survived by her daughters, Barbara (Bruce) Carlson, Patricia (Terry) Lind; grandchildren, Daniel Carlson, Kimberly Carlson (Mike LeVoir), Ryan Carlson, Douglas (Katie) Lind, James Lind; great-grandchildren, Caroline  and Willa Lind; brother Bruce Nelson; special nephews Bryan and Jeff Johnson; and special “adopted” friends, The Evenson Family – Sherrie, Denise, Shane and Shawn. She will be missed by many

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