Dorothy Caroline DWELLE

DWELLE, WHITE, VORLAND, BROWN, MARINO, DUTTON, TURNER, STEPHENSON, SANDBERG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/24/2011 at 17:00:04

December 9, 1911 -- April 20, 2011

NORTHWOOD, IA - Dorothy Caroline Dwelle, 99, of Northwood, died Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. A memorial service for Dorothy will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 25, at the United Methodist Church, 1000 First Ave. North, Northwood, with Pastor Wendi Gillan officiating. Burial will be in the Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time on Monday at the church. The family of Dorothy has requested that those wishing to give a memorial in her memory consider contributions be made to the United Methodist Church in Northwood, Northwood Public Library, a charity supporting the conservation of whales, or to the charity of one's choice.

Dorothy Caroline Dwelle was born on Dec. 9, 1911, in Northwood, the daughter of Charles and Alice (White) Dwelle. Dorothy graduated from Northwood High School in 1929. She attended Mason City Junior College, and earned her bachelor of arts degree at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. Dorothy began her teaching career at high schools in Mitchell, Eagle Grove and Monticello. She continued her education, earning her master's degree at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She then taught English for the University of Wisconsin in Racine from 1946-1968. She moved to West Bend and helped open the University of Wisconsin, Washington County. She taught until 1981, retiring as a full professor and granted the status of Professor Emeritus. Dorothy led a full and active life. She joined the Helen Hinman Dwelle chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Northwood at age 18. Along with Dr. Helen Huus, she co-founded the Campfire Girls and 20's Club in Northwood. She was a member of the Northern Lights Chapter of Eastern Star, Chapter E.S. of the PEO, and the American Association of University Women. An active member of the NAACP, she participated in the Civil Rights Movement. She was a member of the United Methodist Church. Dorothy had a special passion for whales, and a life-long love of travel, theater, opera, and fine arts. She was a student of Shakespeare and took pride in introducing many students and family to the Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival, which she attended over a period of 50 years. Having studied at the University of London in 1953, she made many return trips to Britain and traveled throughout Europe, often accompanied by students.

Those left to cherish her memory are her sister Shirley Vorland, of Northwood; her nieces and nephews, Loretta (John) Brown, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., Mildred (Paul) Marino, of Jacksonville, Fla., Robert (Suzann) Dutton, of Valley, Neb., Dorothy Turner and Marjorie (Steve) Stephenson, of Colorado Springs, Colo., James (Mary) Vorland, of Preston, Tom (Joan) Vorland, of Northwood, Jeanine Vorland, of Blooming Prairie, Minn., and Marianne (T. A.) Sandberg of Manchester; 12 great-nieces and nephews; as well as many other extended family members and friends. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Horace Dwelle; sisters, Arlene and Alberta Dwelle; brothers-in-law, Dr. Dean Dutton and Howard Vorland; and a sister-in-law, DeLorranine Dwelle. Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood, Iowa.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa
April 23, 2011