Dorothy Chapman, 91, of Thief River Falls, MN died on Saturday, May 29, 2010 at the MeritCare Hospital in Thief River Falls, MN with her daughter by her side.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM, Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the United Methodist Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. Phil Schmidt officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM on Friday, June 4th, 2010 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls, with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM. There will also be an Eagles Auxiliary Service following the prayer service.

Dorothy Jane Woolson was born on September 22, 1918 in Silverton Township, Pennington County, the daughter of Harry and Julia (Nelson) Woolson. She attended the Elwell elementary school in Pennington County, and graduated from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls in 1937. She attended Cosmetology school in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

On November 14, 1942, she married Lester Chapman in the Methodist church in Thief River Falls. They made their home in Silverton Township until Mr. Chapman's death, March 12, 1983. She then moved into Thief River Falls.

Dorothy carried on as her grandparents and her parents in the past, working for the progress of the community by joining the Silverton 4-H Club, leading the Thief River Falls Livestock Parade with her 1st prize Shropshire lamb. She joined the Silverton Homemakers Club when she was 16 years old, and was Councilor-Chairman for 9 years from 1979-1988. Her volunteer projects included: Pennington County Fair; 3 years at the 4-H booth and Homemaker's Club booth, 30 years from 1957-1987 in the Adult Culinary Division for the Pennington County Fair. Dorothy worked at the Historical Pioneer Village for 4 years. Mrs. Val Chommie was instrumental in electing Dorothy as President of the Historical Society board for 2 years of the "Pioneer Village" of Thief River Falls. Dorothy became Secretary of the Sons of Norway for 2 years, also served as President, and was presented an honorary pin and life membership pin as a member for 50 years, having joined in 1950.

As you read this, you will learn that Bernice and Dorothy Woolson desired to make our community a better place to work and live.

Our grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Hans and Mary Nelson bought their grocery store in 1888 on a lot south of the Ogahmah Hotel and built living quarters above the store.

The honor of being one of the originators of the first Fire Department goes to Hans who was a member of the Village Council during the year of 1892. As a merchant, postmaster and member of the school board, he bought a large vault for his store. Mr. & Mrs. Hans Nelson & son, William, selected lumber from the saw mill for their house, the first hospital in the northwest territory, the Sons of Norway Hall, and for the first Methodist Episcopal church, still standing as an apartment building on the east side of the river, and built a two story home, with a wish their home would be an "old folks home." Their wish has been fulfilled as the present Valley Home occupies the land.

Our parents: Mr. & Mrs. Harry and Julia (Nelson) Woolson, Harry arrived in Thief River Falls in 1906. He was a night clerk and Julia a cook at the "Ogahmah" Hotel. They married and worked together to have an experimental farm through the Crookston Experimental college asking for one of the first county agents, J. McCann, who started the first 4-H Club in Pennington County with daughter Natalie, and a neighbor boy as the first two calf members in 1921. Harry helped form the "Booster" Club. The men included Insurance agents, bankers, newspaper editor, store keepers and druggist. Harry served as Board of Director on all these boards: Pennington Co. Fair Ass., Cooperative Creamery, Livestock Shipping Cooporative to St. Paul, MN., Spring Poultry Show of Thief River Falls, Red River Valley Dairymens Ass., Pennington Co. Gurnsey Ass., Pennington Co. Farm Bureau (sponsoring C. Agricultural Agents that Natalie and Bernice worked as secretaries), Pennington Co. cow testing Ass., (for butter & milk records) and clerk of the Elwell School #28 for many years.

Mr. & Mrs. Woolson passed away on their beloved farm and daughter Bernice passed away wishing the the farm home to become a 100 year ownership "Century" Farm in 2007.

Natalie became a specialist raising turkeys and chickens in Hillsboro, OR & St. Hilaire, MN. Bernice became a secretary & bookkeeper for local businesses.

Raca became a teacher and traveled, teaching teachers for the Houghton Mifflin Book Company in Tulsa, OK.

Our parents educated us four girls, giving us each a special occupation with Dorothy becoming a cosmetologist, instilling a desire to carry on community growth of Thief River Falls.

Dorothy has held offices for the past years for the Eagles Auxiliary. President in 1990 and again in 1997 and Past Medom President 1997-1999. She was honored for her many years of service with a plaque stating from "District #2 as Sister of the Year 2000 Dorothy Chapman, Thief River Falls Auxiliary #2368", and with a bouquet of flowers from her daughter and children, for her love of growing flowers.

She is survived by her daughter, Iris LuAnn & her husband Clyde; two grandsons Brian Lester & Rodney Wayne; and one grand daughter Amber & husband Charlie of Hillsboro, OR. One sister: Raca Howard, Tulsa, OK. Nieces Sherry Sorenson and Marie Sorenson Bregier, sons Travis & Matthew Bregier, West Fargo, ND. Sandra Goebel, Margery Raffanti, CA; Janelle Howard, Tucson, AZ and one nephew, Barry and (Joan) Johnson, Kentucky. Also several great nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, two sisters, Natalie Johnson Lindquist, Hillsboro, OR; Bernice Woolson Sorenson; brothers-in-law: James T. Howard and Vernon Sorenson and nieces Bonny Johnson, Julie Howard & nephew Allen Sorenson.

ORGANIST: Barb Hauger
SOLOIST: Gloria Jesperson
SELECTIONS: The Old Rugged Cross, How Great Thou Art