Dolores A. Dahl, age 91 of West St. Paul, died on November 15, 2017.

Dolores was born on September 3, 1926 to Otis and Doris (Johnson) Payson at their home in North Hudson, WI. She attended North Hudson Elementary and graduated from Hudson High School with the Class of 1944. After high school, Dolores furthered her education at River Falls State College, obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, with a Major in Elementary Education and a Minor in Music and Spanish. She was united in marriage to Alton Dahl on June 5, 1948 and together they were blessed with two children. Dolores taught elementary school for 4 years before devoting 15 years to raising her children. She resumed her teaching career in 1967 and taught Special Education and Elementary at Moreland School in West St. Paul until she retired in 1987.

Education was a very important aspect of Alton and Dolores’ lives. They traveled with their children every year to different parts of the U.S. so they could learn more about the country’s rich history and wide geography. Not only did Alton and Dolores enjoy traveling in the U.S., but they also spent much time in countries like Norway, Sweden, Mexico, The Bahamas, Denmark, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and England. Dolores treasured her family genealogy as well as her husband’s. She collected extensive research on their family history and wrote detailed accounts of her childhood during the 1930’s to pass along that legacy. Music had a special place in Dolores’ heart. She played piano from the time she was in elementary school until just a few weeks before her passing. She was also in a church choir for 75 years; being a member of the St. Paul’s United Methodist Choir for over 50 of those years. Dolores cherished time with her family and always put them first. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and dear friend.

She is survived by her daughters, Joanne (Bob) Jokela and Jennifer Neverdal; granddaughters, Suzanne and Kristin Jokela; nieces, Kathy, Karen, and Carol; nephews, Chris, Brad, and Mark; aunt, Virginia Murray; and sister-in-law, Greta Payson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alton; parents, Otis and Doris; brothers, Ronald and Ken Payson; niece, Kim Radi; brother-in-law, Ray Radi; and sister-in-law, Ruth Radi.

A Funeral Service for Dolores will be held on Tuesday, November 21 at 11:00 AM at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 700 Wesley Lane, Mendota Heights, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior. Interment will be at Willow River Cemetery in Hudson, WI. Funeral services are entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson, WI.