Dorothy Hagen, age 91 of Northfield, died Saturday morning, October 29, 2016, at the Care Center of the Northfield Retirement Community.
Dorothy Alvina (Weckwerth) Hagen, was born May 8, 1925 on the family farm near New Richland, MN. She attended country schools and graduated from New Richland High School (1943). She was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New Richland.
She moved to the Lutheran Motherhouse in Milwaukee, WI to become a Lutheran Deaconess. Her first assignment was to the Lutheran Orphans’ Home in Toledo, OH where she was the House Mother for Girls. During this time, she met Frederick Hagen. (Fred was raised in the orphanage, served in the Navy during WWII, and returned to “the Home” to be a maintenance man and Big Boys Supervisor.) They fell in love and she gave up her commitment as a Deaconess. They married on May 24, 1950 and moved to Williston, OH (1950-55) where they both worked at the Luther Home of Mercy.
They moved to Clarks Grove, MN (1955-60) until Fred decided to go into the ministry as a second career and they moved to Dubuque, IA (1960-64) to attend Wartburg Seminary.
Their first call was to the Norway Lake Lutheran Churches (First and East) in rural New London, MN (1964-67). Their second call was to Grace Lutheran Church (Elmore, OH) and St Mark’s Lutheran Church (Graytown, OH) 1967-77. Their third call was to Bethlehem Lutheran and Deer Creek Valley Lutheran in rural Glenville, MN (1977-89). After retirement, they moved to New Richland and then to Burnsville. After Fred died in June 2012, Dorothy remained in Burnsville until moving to Northfield in December 2015. Dorothy was a member of St. James Lutheran Church in Burnsville.
She is survived by four children: Marie (Northfield), Daniel & Shari (Northfield), John (Apple Valley) and Paul & Jill (Amherst NY); eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: Keith & Summer (Tommy), Rebekka & Andrew Zaffke (Hagen, Henry and Zella), Kevin & Rachel, Bethany, Daniel & Julie, Jacob, Isaac, and Hannah; by her sisters Theresa Hanson and Leone Ide-Svelmoe, her brother-in-law Stan Miller, and cousin Eunice Amos. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, and by many loving friends. She was preceded in death by Fred (her husband of 62 years); her parents, Daniel and Amelia (Moldenhauer) Weckwerth; her brother Bernard and sister-in-law Mabel Weckwerth, sister Lois Miller, brothers-in-law Arnold Hanson, David Ide, and James Svelmoe; and by two foster sons Mikey & Joey.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, November 11, 2016 at the Chapel of the Northfield Retirement Community. Interment will be that afternoon at the Hillcrest Cemetery, Albert Lea MN. Her eight grandchildren will be the pallbearers. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday, November 10, 2016 at Benson & Langehough Funeral Home. Visitation will continue Friday at the Chapel one hour prior to the service.
Memorials are preferred to the Lutheran Orphans’ and Old Folks’ Home Society, now Genacross Lutheran Services (Toledo, OH), the Luther Home of Mercy (Williston, OH), or St. James Lutheran Church (Burnsville, MN).
www.northfieldfuneral.com