Dorothy Halvorson was born February 21, 1929, on the Halvorson farm in Gilman Township, Pierce County, Wisconsin. Her parents, John and Ella Gjovig Halvorson were of Norwegian and Swedish descent. They spoke mostly Norwegian at home when she was growing up. Her grandmother, who lived with them, spoke very little English. Norwegian was special to Dorothy all her life.

She was especially close to her mother, who she treasured as one of the kindest people who ever lived. Dorothy was the youngest of five children: Ole Harris, Alice Irene, Melvin Elroy, Evelyn Joan, and Dorothy Bernice. She wasn’t fond of the name Bernice. Her childhood was a gift she carried with her all her life. As she grew older and her recent memories disappeared, her memories of a rich and loving childhood became more vivid and a source of strength.

She married Carroll Klanderman in 1952, and they had four children. She passed on the gift of a rich and loving childhood to her children and grandchildren. Even her great grandchildren could see how they lit up her eyes. Her family remembers her for her intelligence, love of humor and wit, love of learning, especially science, ability to listen to people and understand them, open-mindedness, love of the earth, and ability to be happy with few store-bought things. For her, it was the amazing expanse of the mind and the imagination that made life rich and meaningful.

”You can only get so wet,”” she used to say. After that it’s just excess water that runs off. She felt that way about money, too. Once you have just enough to get by, all of the great ideas in the vast expanse of the universe can be yours if you just let them in. And exploring them with someone you love, is as good as it gets.

Her immediate family, who is so proud of her, are Leah, Lilly, Maddy, Ellen, Graham, Carl, Aaron, Olivia, Leland, Robin, Lila, Will, John, Eileen, Bess, Kelly, Jim, Rachel, Rue and Gilbert.

She passed away on August 3. No public services are planned. If you would like to do an appropriate thing in her honor, the possibilities are endless really. If sometime you read to a child, or plant a moss rose, or serve homemade bread, or pick up a piece of trash from the road, or appreciate how blue the sky is, smile and think ””That was for you, Dorothy””. She would be so pleased.