Dorothy Clausen

Dorothy Charlene Emma Clausen was born November 12, 1927, the daughter of Erwin and Emma Carstens Teut. She died Sunday, November 22, 2009, at Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of eighty-two.
Dorothy was born on a farm in Soldier Township, Crawford County, Iowa. She was baptized in Christ on December 18, 1927, at her parents home. She was confirmed on April 6, 1941, at St. John Lutheran Church, Charter Oak, Iowa.
Dorothy received her education in a rural school near her home and St. Johns Lutheran School, Charter Oak. She graduated from Charter Oak High School on May 10, 1945. After graduation she attended business school in Omaha and later worked for her Dad in the Ricketts Bowling Alley.
On June 12, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Donald Clausen at St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak. The couple settled on a farm near Ricketts and were blessed with the birth of three daughters. They continued farming until retiring and moving to Schleswig in November of 1987.
Dorothy was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Schleswig and a former member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Ricketts. She taught Sunday School for ten years and was a former member of Immanuel Ladies Aid in Schleswig.
Dorothy enjoyed reading, baking (especially trying new recipes), tending to her flowers, playing cards, and watching baseball and basketball games. Her favorite baseball teams were the Royals and Twins. Her special pride was watching her granddaughters play softball. She loved their many family trips across the United States especially to Hawaii and Alaska.
This past May brought special pride to Dorothy as all four of her granddaughters graduated with degrees in pharmacy and nursing. She had such fun at their graduation party this summer. Dorothy loved being able to chat with her "girls" about recipes, plants, and gardening.
It was Gods plan that Dorothys last days at the hospital were spent surrounded by her family, holding her and telling her what a special and beautiful woman she was inside and out.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Donald. Survivors include three daughters: Darlis Clausen of Minneapolis; Debbie Zeimen and her husband, Irv of Arion; Denise Clausen of Minneapolis; four granddaughters: Heather Zeimen of Schleswig; Jodi Zeimen of Des Moines; Kara Bral and her husband, Jesse of Schleswig; Nikki Zeimen of Cedar Rapids; two great-grandsons: Evan and Gavin Bral of Schleswig; one brother, Donald Teut and his wife, Evelyn of Schleswig; special neighbors, Berdell and Marilyn Jeschke; many other relatives and friends.