Dorothy J. Fraser

Dorothy J. Fraser, 92, of Clarion, passed away Friday, September 25, 2015, at Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Clarion.

Funeral services for Dorothy J. Fraser will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at Holmes Lutheran Church, 2139 Hancock Avenue, Clarion with Pastor Bill Kem officiating.  An hour visitation with refreshments will be held immediately following the service. Burial will then follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Dorothy Josephyn (Glade) Fraser was born September 28, 1922, to John and Minnie (Holland) Glade in Dows, Iowa.  She was raised in the Dows area and graduated from Dows High School with the class of 1940.

Following high school, Dorothy attended bible school in Minneapolis for two years and lived for a short time in Los Angeles, before returning to Iowa.

Dorothy was united in marriage to Emmett Fraser on December 14, 1944, in Mason City.  The couple made their home in San Antonio, Texas, until Emmett was discharged from the service; they then raised their family in the Dows area before moving to their home on the Holmes corner on Highway 3.  The couple moved into Clarion in 2005.

Dorothy worked at the Clarion Hospital as a nurse’s aid and later did clerical work in the hospital billing department, in addition to raising four children.  She loved being hostess to the countless visitors and guests she and Emmett would have in their home. They had an open door policy and she always had refreshments on hand and a full meal on Sunday.

In her retirement years, Dorothy enjoyed genealogical research.  She spent hours in the car driving throughout the countryside in search of information. She had traced the Fraser side of the family back to 1600s Scotland, and was constantly copying records for other members of the family or friends.  In 1999, following a trip to visit relatives in Norway and Iceland, she got her first computer and used that to aid in her research.

Dorothy is survived by her four children, Jeff (Kathy) Fraser of Orlando, Florida, Jeanne (David) Hilgendorf of Menahga, Minnesota, Dianne (Daniel) Janu of Perham, Minnesota and Phil Fraser of Belmond; six grandchildren,  Todd (Darcy) Hilgendorf, Danita Janu Baker, Mark (Kristin) Fraser, Doug Janu, Dan Fraser and Sarah Hilgendorf Olander; twelve great-grandchildren; sister, Glennavon Parriott; sister-in-law, Phyllis Berknes; good friend, Glory Chapman; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Emmett; parents and siblings, Marjorie Stover, Ione Erickson, Willard Glade and Wilma Dorr.